


Gotham United (import from ff.net)

by moor



Category: Naruto
Genre: Batman AU, Drama, F/M, noir, superhero au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-28 00:53:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17172743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moor/pseuds/moor
Summary: Naruto AU, based in the Batman-verse. SasuSaku Month 2015 Prompt: Superheroes. SasuSaku. Batman has tried to retire, but someone is stirring up trouble in Gotham's underworld. Itachi, head of Uchiha Tech Enterprises, has been grooming his brother, Sasuke, to take over at corporate HQ... but Sasuke would prefer to take over Itachi's night job, cleaning up Gotham's streets.





	Gotham United (import from ff.net)

Title:  **Gotham United**  
Category: Anime/Manga » Naruto  
Author: moor  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: T  
Genre: Drama/Crime  
Published: 07-28-15, Updated: 07-29-15  
Chapters: 4, Words: 26,298

* * *

**Chapter 1: Chapter 1**

* * *

_**Gotham United** _

**AN: Kakashi's age is approximately fifteen years older than canon in this story. Canon events have been altered, but you'll recognize quite a few. Also, as this is a fairly loosely adapted AU, expect some OOC. ;)**

* * *

_**Fifty Seven Years Ago, The Burroughs, Outskirts of Gotham City** _

Tsunade, her small feet silent on the scuffed floors of her front hallway, crept up to the kitchen doorway and pressed her five year old body to the wall, closing her eyes, slowing her breathing. Just like mama had taught her. " _It's the only way to learn anything around here,"_  she'd said, before rolling her eyes and winking at Tsunade.

"It can't keep on like this!" Her grandfather's voice, tense with frustration, tore at her. He was supposed to be smiling and laughing. That's the grandfather she knew, the one who pulled her into the garden after him every Saturday morning no matter how late he'd been out carousing the night before, to escape her grandmother's nagging and list of 'honey do' chores. "It's escalating; there just isn't enough to go around. The haves are taking from the have-nots, the have-nots are stealing it all back, and from there…" He slumped into his chair with a soft sound of cotton and wool-clad worker after a hard day's work. "They're suffering. They're all suffering."

"There is little we can do about that, Hashirama."

Tsunade pressed her rosy, cupid's bow lips together. She knew that voice; the dark-haired Uchiha, her grandfather's best friend… He rarely visited them at their home, though. She only knew that they'd been best friends since they were young, and that there was something unusual about their friendship. (Grandmother Mito would always spike a brow when she asked how they become friends, while grand-uncle Tobi would mutter something about them being strange, all right.)

"But there has to be! We barely have enough medical care for the community; yet the council won't authorize the hiring of more staff ,or allocate the resources for more education so we can meet even the minimum requirements for university education for them. We don't have the money to send our young away to be trained… We're drowning!"

There came a heavy sigh, this time from grand-uncle Tobi; Tsunade's breath caught. He was never there when the Uchiha was around.  _This must be serious!_

"We need more control. Over everything. And we need a less corrupt police force. The current one is too politically tied to supporting the regime."

"People, honest people, can't make ends meet. The only ones thriving are the underworld, because they can bypass authority so easily. And as long as they keep paying their tithe to the officials and ministry, the city council is happy to let them go along as they please," said the Uchiha in an even tone. "Every step of the way, Uchiha Tech Enterprises has struggled not against economic downturn or competition, but against the bureaucracy. The ministry and council don't want UTE to succeed or become too powerful; too much power could lead to influence. They'd rather we struggle and fail than succeed; regardless of the effect on the populace." He did sigh then, under his breath. "We could be the biggest employer in Gotham, but they keep cutting us off at the knees."

"On purpose," murmured Hashirama, his voice tired and distorted. She could easily imagine him rubbing his face as he said it, but didn't dare poke her head any closer to the doorway.

"The system is broken." And Tsunade was so shocked at the tone of grudging agreement in Tobi's voice that she nearly gasped. She caught herself just in time. Tobi and the Uchiha were agreeing on something? Oh dear heavens. Grandmother would never believe her!

There was a moment of silence, then, and Tsunade held her breath.

Then the voice she least expected spoke up.

"Well then," said her grandmother, in her simple, straightforward way. And there was something that chilled the air in that moment; that slid ice down Tsunade's spine, and trickled through her veins, and froze her in place. There had always been something cold and calculating she'd only glimpsed in her grandmother, prior to then. She knew so little about grandmother Mito's past outside of her endless beauty, her refined manners and her salty tongue. But now,  _now_ she realized there was perhaps something dangerous lurking behind that beautiful facade, something more intelligent and predatory behind those hands that, like her grandfather Hashirama's, had easily healed her bumps and bruises and broken bones as if by magic.

The matriarch of the Senju continued in a relaxed, no-nonsense, terrifying tone.

"What we need, is a new system."

And then sweat broke out along the young girl's temple when Mito called, in her sweetest tone, "Isn't that right, Tsunade?"

 _Shit_.

* * *

_**Modern Day, Gotham City, Green-Wood Cemetery, South Brooklyn** _

Itachi looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, causing Sasuke to turn away from the granite mausoleum that housed their parents' remains. Who wore high heels to walk the stone paths in this old, half-forgotten acreage in the cemetery?

Itachi nodded to the visitor.

"Good morning, Dr Senju."

"No need for formality, Itachi, I've told you a hundred times. Tsunade is all I am," she said in return. She nodded in Sasuke's direction. "Sasuke. I trust you're both well?"

"Hn."

Her brow arched at Sasuke's grunted acknowledgement, and she pursed her lips. "Manners, Master Uchiha," she snapped, and Sasuke hated that the strident sound had him straightening his back to stand taller in her larger-than-life presence. She turned her gaze back to Itachi. "I'll be seeing you this afternoon?"

"Of course."

She nodded. "Good. I brought flowers for your parents; I know your mother enjoyed the bouquets from the Yamanaka clan. Fugaku could go stuff himself for all he knew of art and beauty."

Sasuke almost missed the upwards tug of his brother's lips at Tsunade's disgusted snort.

"He recognized it in Mother, though, and that was all the beauty he needed," Itachi countered.

"You're definitely Mikoto's son, with that tongue of yours," said Tsunade, arranging the flowers on the raised ledge. Sasuke had set out his offerings of oranges and incense a few moments earlier. "And congratulations on the rehabilitation hiring initiative; a number of our outreach clinic visitors have mentioned it recently, and they're cautiously optimistic. Which is to say they're grateful you're willing to give them a chance and plan on showing off the kind of grit they're made of. Their families were hit pretty hard by the DA's 'incarceration spree', and they've been struggling." She frowned a moment before shaking her head and nodding to them. "A bit like old times," she murmured to herself before shaking her head and facing them again.

"Good to see you both, and your boys, Mikoto. And Fugaku, you arse who never knew how good you had it." With that, Tsunade nodded to the grave, to the 'boys', before turning on her heel and striding back down the path she'd come.

Sasuke watched, frowning, until she disappeared behind the wrought-iron fencing and shrubbery.

"She has an apprentice, now," said Itachi, thoughtful.

"Great, another feminazi tyrant," muttered Sasuke.

Itachi winced as Sasuke leapt to the side, a gunshot cracking at his feet to send dirt and grass spraying up and over his shoes.

"The Hell!"

Sasuke spun around in a circle, trying to determine where it had come from.

With a sigh, Itachi bowed to his parents and caught hold of Sasuke's collar, tugging him behind him. He dragged Sasuke back towards the limousine that awaited them; their faithful retainer, and surrogate father-figure to Sasuke, leaned against the driver's side door, hands in his pockets as he stared at the tree canopy that sheltered him from the harshest of the morning light.

"Come, it is time for lunch."

* * *

Sasuke glared out the window as Itachi settled his shoes down outside the small rise of their private room at the traditional Japanese restaurant. The lush garden outside the window was beautifully tended with exotic plants and stones in artful, restful patterns. A light rain had begun to mist and sprinkle, releasing the sweet perfumes from the flowers' stamens.

Kneeling on the bench-seat, Itachi reached for the cup of tea Sasuke had poured him.

"Hm?" He asked, sensing his younger brother's brooding as a translation of his confusion over something or other.

"You didn't flinch at the sound, at mom and dad's. You didn't even react," said Sasuke.

Itachi watched Sasuke's brow knit, guilt and compassion warring inside him a moment as he watched Sasuke understand something inside himself. About himself.

"How did you know it was safe? Someone was shooting at us."

Itachi remained expressionless as he considered Sasuke's query.

"We were with Dr Senju. There was nothing to fear," he said after another moment of quiet deliberation.

"Someone shot at me."

Amusement glinted in Itachi's eye. "Someone defended Dr Senju's reputation."

"How could you tell?"

His expression softening, Itachi set down his cup of tea. "The individual had been staking out the family mausoleum for hours prior to us arriving. They were there on Dr Senju's orders."

"She told you this?"

Itachi shook his head once.

Frustrated, Sasuke blew out harshly and threw himself back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. "You knew because you knew?"

Itachi picked up his tea once more, and a hostess came to ask them for their order. When she left Sasuke watched his brother, and sighed through his nose.

"You never truly retired."

Itachi ignored the comment.

"I could help you."

"Focus on your career, Sasuke."

Sasuke's jaw tightened. "I can help you. I know what to do. I'm ready. I can—"

"I need you ready to take over the public face of Uchiha Tech Enterprises," said Itachi smoothly, his voice never rising above a gentle susurration. "I will be… withdrawing from face to face meetings entirely, shortly."

Sasuke swallowed. "It's not that bad. You can still handle the meetings from video-chats and tele-conferencing. It isn't as if—"

Itachi lifted a finger, and Sasuke swallowed his rambling. No. Itachi couldn't retire. Not at barely twenty five years old. He was supposed to have so much more time now.

The hostess served them their appetizer miso soup, and several assistants followed her with trays of side dishes, garnishes, and finally the sushi boat Itachi had requested. When they had bowed and withdrawn, he continued. "We shall not rule from atop an ivory tower, Sasuke. We need to be on site, be seen, and be available as people if we are to run Uchiha Tech Enterprises the way our family intended.

"You cannot do that while you are… indisposed during the sleeping hours, thus stretched thin from fatigue and injury during business hours. Adrenaline will only get you so far."

Staring down at the table as he listened to his big brother, Sasuke tried to formulate a reply that wouldn't sound like a whine. "You managed it. For years. No one ever knew."

Itachi shook his head once. "Some knew. They're the reason I was able to continue for so long. But it was too dangerous—exceedingly for them—for me to continue. I refuse to have others put themselves at risk again." He traced the table cloth with his fingertips for a moment before they reached the ceramic ladle-spoon; he curled his long, scarred, elegant fingers around it and lifted it to his bowl. "Nor will you."

"You'll be fine. Tsunade's a legend. She'll… if anyone can help, it's her," said Sasuke, noting the way Itachi's hand cupped the side of the bowl. Knowing why he did it. "And once you are, then I can—"

Itachi's voice was calm but lethal. "No, Sasuke."

Huffing and pressing his lips together in an ugly sneer he knew his brother wouldn't be able to make out—entirely, at any rate—Sasuke turned to glare out the window again. The sound of the gentle rain patter was all that passed between him and his brother for the remainder of the meal.

* * *

"I can stay in the car," said Sasuke later that afternoon. Kakashi, their driver and family retainer, glanced up at Sasuke through the rear view mirror, but returned his attention to the road a moment later.

"Dr Senju is happy to see you." Facing out the window, Itachi relaxed his shoulders and closed his lined, sunken eyes.

"You've grown so much. And this way you can perhaps meet her apprentice," piped up Kakashi from the front.

"Mini-Tsundere, more like it," muttered Sasuke, glaring at the door handle.

Beneath his shaggy silver hair, Kakashi scratched his cheek and winced from the driver's seat. "Ah, perhaps a bit more respect? The young lady is… not partial to leniency towards those who disrespect her or her Master."

"What's she going to do, shoot me?" Sasuke scoffed, smirking at Kakashi.

But the silence shared between Itachi and Kakashi had Sasuke lifting his head up and glancing between the two men.

Itachi let out a long, slow, patient breath. "For the sake of our departed parents' reputations, display the manners we tried to instill in you."

No more was said about the matter as Kakashi was pulling the limousine into the garbage-scattered alley behind Tsunade's clinic in Konoha's fallen inner city.

"I thought the city was supposed to re-gentrify this area," said Sasuke, confused and leaning forward as they slowed to a stop. The graffiti had worsened from the last time he'd visited the free-clinic, and there were signs of vagrant habitation in the tarped-over cardboard box-village towards the end of the alley. Blankets, empty food cartons and various pieces of make-shift luggage and plastic surrounded the enclave.

"The funds were redirected," said Itachi. Kakashi had parked and opened Itachi's door, standing aside it and scanning the area with sharp eyes. "Come." He exited the vehicle and Sasuke followed. Kakashi fell into step a half-step behind Itachi and to the side, relaxed to the casual observer. Sasuke had long ago learned better.

Itachi opened his own doors, though Kakashi insisted on holding them for him. It was only after Sasuke glared at Kakashi that the older man kept a hold of the door instead of releasing it to crash into Sasuke's face. With a chuckle, Kakashi made a sweeping gesture to guide Sasuke through. Sasuke was sure his vitriolic internal thoughts were broadcasting loud and clear to Kakashi.

"Masters Uchiha! Please come right this way. Dr Senju said you could come right in and she'll meet you in her office," said a familiar voice.

"There is no rush," said Itachi, turning to the nurse. "Good afternoon, Shizune. All is well?"

Shizune's smile faltered a moment before she pasted it back on again, leading them down a corridor to the left of the Reception area.

Itachi's brow furrowed as he lifted a hand. "I did not mean to—"

Shizune's eyes widened, and her shoulders relaxed. "Oh, it's… nothing. Just a little bit of conflict management, here. This morning there was a bit of tension, but it was just in passing." She made an interesting gesture with her head, which led Sasuke to believe there was more to it. "Mostly," she added.

"— _spoiled brat!"_  yelled one voice, a young woman, coming from inside Dr Senju's office.

Shizune's neck and ears burned as she rushed to knock on the door and stem the volume of the argument.

" _You know how important this is! You will mind your temper, do you hear me!"_  That was Dr Senju's angry voice. Sasuke recognized that tone immediately, his shoulders tightening in sympathy.

"Dr Senju, the Uchihas are here to see you!" called Shizune, louder than usual.

Sasuke didn't know how his brother kept himself so expressionless, but he felt no such compunction.

"Who's in there?" he asked.

Shizune glanced at Kakashi who shook his head subtly; Sasuke turned to look at Kakashi, his brows furrowed. "Hn?"

"Eyes forward," murmured Itachi, as the door buzzed open before them.

"Come on in, take a seat," sighed Tsunade, ushering them inside from behind her desk. To the side stood…

Sasuke stared.

Pink hair.

He blinked, sure he'd been mistaken. But no; atop the woman's head, it truly was… petal pink long hair. In a lovely thick plait that wrapped over her head like a crown, and which showed off the elegant slope of her slender, pale neck. But it was… pink. Rose. Like a cherry blossom. And her eyes; emerald green, hard, bright, shining with intelligence and… temper? Perhaps she'd had Tsunade's reprimands coming, he thought with a mental smirk.

Shaking himself mentally he returned his attention to Itachi and Dr Senju who were shaking hands. As such, he missed the scowl that flitted across  _her_ face, and the way Kakashi, behind him, sent the young woman a knowing look.

"We'll share pleasantries at the end; business first," said Tsunade, standing to come around her desk, stethoscope slung around her neck and pen-light in hand. "You know the drill. Pain? Headaches? Nausea? Vision deterioration?"

"I will leave you to it." Shizune smiled and nodded to the assembled group before taking her leave; Kakashi gave a wave, already pulling a novel from his pocket and following her. He shut the door behind them.

"Does she need to be here?" Sasuke asked. He heard the sigh his brother couldn't quite stifle, saw his eyelids flicker with apology at Dr Senju.

Standing straighter, manicure-nailed hand on her cocked hip, Tsunade's smile chilled and bore perfect white teeth.

"What was that, kid?"

"The one being obviously disciplined. Is she necessary?"

Her brow arched at him, but she nodded all the same. "Forgive me for failing to introduce you." She gestured to the young woman, who joined her at her curvy side. "This is Doctor Sakura Haruno. My apprentice."

"Is she qualified to be here?"

 _Oops_. Itachi's shoulders twitched at that, and Sasuke knew he'd put his foot in it this time.

But wow, this girl had no self-control going by how deeply she was flushing. It almost made Sasuke want to antagonize her more, to see how close he could get her to apoplectic purple.

Itachi, as always, was already cleaning up his mess. "Dr Senju, I apologize on Sasuke's behalf. Perhaps it is best that he wait with Kakashi outside—"

"You dragged me in here, and now you're sending me out? What gives, Itachi!"

"Sasuke, please apologize to Miss Haruno—"

"Doctor Haruno," spat Sakura, her arms snapping into a tight fold under her bosom.

"If she's a doctor, I'm a monkey's uncle."

"You're a horse's ass, is what you are. Obviously your family failed to beat any manners into you." Sakura looked down her nose at Sasuke. "Tch, you're an embarrassment to the Uchiha."

Tsunade's shoulders tensed as she whipped her head around and glared at her apprentice. "Sakura—!"

"Take that back," murmured Sasuke lowly, rising to his feet. His hands fisted at his side.

Eyes pained, Itachi sighed. "Sasuke—"

Sakura scoffed at Sasuke, unfolding her arms to plant her hands on her cocked hips. "Nope."

"Apologize to me, to my parents, now."

"Make me."

And then Sasuke felt his temper snap, his control unleashed, and with unheard of disregard for his station and company, he leapt at the pink-haired pseudo-doctor—

—only to have the wind knocked out of him, leaving him gasping and sucking on air as he faced the ceiling and his brother's tired expression, looking down at him.

He could just make out Dr Senju sighing behind Itachi. "Sakura, get some water for Young Master Uchiha. Now." She added, a moment later, "And no accidentally spilling it on him."

The door closed behind her and Sasuke rolled to his side, his arms shaking a bit as he pushed himself up to his knees.

_So fast._

His brother was still so fast. He hadn't even seen him coming. Damn. That punch had sent him straight to the floor.

"I think that was a little overkill," remarked Dr Senju.

"I apologize for his poor behaviour. It… it does not reflect well. I trust Dr Haruno will be all right?"

Dr Senju snorted.

"She'd been looking forward to this for a while; I'm kind of glad it turned out like this," she admitted. "Maybe she won't be so distracted anymore," she muttered, probably not intending Sasuke to hear it. But he did.

 _What is wrong with people these days_ , wondered Sasuke, still on the floor.  _Didn't she know he was an Uchiha?_

* * *

"I heard there were some fireworks when Sasuke met Dr Senju's apprentice the other day."

In the tinted-glass encased elevator at the Tower, the more common moniker for Gotham City Hall, Itachi glanced to his right and nodded to his older cousin, Madara. Uchiha Madara had recently been nominated as Chief District Attorney for their city and had long held designs on the mayorship. He had implemented a number of crime-reducing initiatives that, so far, had proven themselves with near-miraculous results. Itachi just… never could shake the feeling that there was more to Madara than he let people see. He respected his cousin, and they were very close after being raised together; but sometimes, it just felt like something didn't jive behind Madara's cool, dry expression.

 _He's too calculating. I don't trust him,_  Sasuke had said more than once.

Itachi held open the door for someone getting off. It closed with a  _ding_ after them. "Ah."

"Has his pride recovered yet?"

"Sasuke is very busy; I doubt he spends time agonizing over an insult."  _That he should have gotten over two days ago,_ mentally sighed Itachi. If he had to hear about 'ugly, pink-haired, rude physicians who should be suspended from practising medicine' one more time, he was going to have a word with Kakashi and see if the man could beat some sense into Sasuke. 'Train' with him. That was it. 'Train'. 'Physical reality check', more like.

"Well, hopefully he won't take it too hard that his crush will soon be unavailable," smirked Madara.

The door  _dinged_ once more, and Madara exited, nodding to Itachi.

"Enjoy your time in the Tower," said Madara.

"Good evening," said Itachi with an equally brief nod.

The door closed, leaving Itachi alone to return to the car park where Kakashi waited for him.

"Everything go okay up there?" Kakashi opened and closed Itachi's door, and caught his eye in the rearview mirror.

"Hn," said Itachi. His eyes narrowed.

Kakashi shrugged and they pulled away from the VIP parking to return home.

 _Interesting_. He needed to speak to Tsunade.

* * *

In the freestyle, open gymnasium at his family home, surrounded by floor to ceiling windows and exercise equipment, Sasuke mopped his brow with a towel and tapped in the access code on his phone. He had designed the phone himself; it was a prototype, for now, but so far it was proving itself.

"Incorrect code. Please re-submit."

Mostly.

There were still a few bugs.

On the third try, he opened up the message his brother had texted him.

 _ **Out at a meeting. Kakashi is with me. You're still grounded.**_  — I.

"Tch," he scoffed, snapping it shut.

Twenty years old, and grounded?

He sighed.

_Stupid pink-haired, obnoxious, ill-mannered, fiery, direct, cute as…_

Scoffing under his breath again, he looked around the gymnasium that was his refuge… and prison.

Shoulders tense, he stalked away from the weight-lifting equipment, climbing wall and rope jungle and grabbed up his key fob from where it hung on a hook by the door. He changed into his swim trunks there in the open gym—he was obviously on his own for the night if Itachi had a secret special 'meeting'—and with a deep breath dove into the Olympic-sized pool on the other side of the immense room.

He hated chlorine, but he needed to clear his head. Perhaps he'd do some bo kata later.

It wasn't 'sulking', it was 'training'. Constant training. Constant improvement.

* * *

The bar was so noisy that night, Itachi couldn't quite hide his wince from Kakashi.

"As usual, in the back," Kakashi said, leaning over Itachi's shoulder to speak directly into his ear. Itachi nodded once and made his way through the raucous throngs. He met the gaze of a pale young woman with pin-straight, midnight hair and wide, moonlit eyes; she nodded discreetly to him and tilted her head at the door to her left.

"Busy night," said Kakashi, holding the door open for Itachi.

"Hn."

One of the young women who'd been tending the bar met them at the door and guided them through to the most private of the meeting rooms, two floors below.

"My old joints can't take much more of this," said Kakashi as they descended the stairs.

"If you'd keep up with your qi gong instead of holding swimsuit contests for the maid staff, you might find yourself in better shape," said the green-eyed girl with a sniff.

"My own daughter's against me," sighed Kakashi.

Itachi let a small smirk peek through. "She speaks the truth. The maids have become over-competitive about it."

"See," said Sakura, poking her tongue out at her father.

"Hai hai." Kakashi hung his head a bit, though kept his hands tucked in his pockets.

"They're in here. The only two people who will come down this evening will be me, and possibly the Commissioner's assistant."

Itachi nodded. "Thank you, Sakura." He paused and looked at her over his shoulder, brow furrowed. "Also, I apologize again for—"

"No apology needed," she said with a smile.

"You're too kind," he said, nodding to her.

"Nah, I'm quiet, patient and vengeful," she said with a grin and a wink. "Good luck!"

As Kakashi chuckled, she keyed in a code at the door and lifted her necklace up to the scanner, joined by her thumb.

The red light at the door trim flashed green, and she bowed as she opened the door.

Kakashi ruffled her hair as she turned away  _("Ugh, Daaad! I'm working!")_ , and Itachi entered the room.

He bowed to the queen of the Gotham underworld, Dr Tsunade Senju, and her other guest, Gotham's Police Commissioner, Jiraiya.

"Good to see you again, kid!" Jiraiya's hearty call filled the room with a boom. He took the opportunity to casually slip closer to Tsunade on the couch. She smacked his cheek, even as she nodded to Itachi.

"Official business starts now," said Tsunade as Sakura closed the door behind them. Itachi chose a seat near Jiraiya, while Kakashi stood just inside the door.

"Why did you call us?"

"Yeah, I thought you were retiring. Time to put that money and those good looks of yours to better use!"

Itachi ignored Jiraiya's comments to hold Tsunade's eyes. "You have a leak at your office," said Itachi to Tsunade. His eyes flicked to Jiraiya. "They knew about my appointment, they knew Sasuke was there, and they know about the skirmish between Sakura and Sasuke."

"How do you know?" asked Tsunade, leaning back and folding her long, athletic legs, one over the other. Though she had to be close to sixty, she didn't look a day over thirty; and a very graceful, fit thirty.

"My cousin, Madara. Chief District Attorney. He brought it up. But the only people in the room were myself, Sasuke, Sakura and Tsunade." He looked at Tsunade, and she shook her head.

"Sakura knows to keep her mouth shut. She's been my apprentice for years; we've only just revealed her recently, in the last two to three months."

"Unless Sasuke talked, then no one should have known what happened in that office."

"Was there any clue that Madara knew more than about just the fight?"

Itachi shook his head. "He gave none. But Sasuke has never trusted him. I… I grew up with him. It is difficult for me to be impartial, with respect to him," admitted Itachi.

"If you had to guess," said Jiraiya, leaning forward.

Itachi took a breath. "He has provided no sign he knows… about my other affiliations."

Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at each other before they both sat down again.

"There is also the fact that Sasuke feels he is ready to take over my position."

"At Uchiha Tech Enterprises?" asked Tsunade, brow arched.

"No."

Jiraiya stared at him a moment before he burst out laughing.

"He's such a spoiled brat!"

A muscle in Itachi's cheek twitched, but he didn't deny Jiraiya's claim.

"He still thinks I was the one who struck him to the ground," admitted Itachi. "I have not disabused him of this notion."

Tsunade smirked. "She'll be insufferable when she hears that." She glanced at the back of the room and her expression dropped in disgust. "Kakashi, get a hold of yourself."

"My little girl is so strong!" He said through his mask-muffled sniffles.

"All that training with Gai must've finally paid off," taunted Jiraiya with a shit-eating grin.

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed and cut straight to the Commissioner. "Traitor."

Itachi sighed. This was what meetings were like between the head of the underworld, her main competitor and rival—who also happened to be madly in love with her—and himself, who just wanted to retire from his 'night job' and learn to play the bagpipes.

"Sasuke still complains about Itachi using too much force, at that time," sighed Kakashi happily. This prompted Jiraiya to bellow another gut-busting laugh, even as Tsunade frowned at him.

Oh, and Kakashi. Former secret-serviceman-turned-legal-guardian for Itachi and Sasuke, when their parents were murdered.

A murder that remained unsolved, almost twenty years after the fact.

* * *

In his office at headquarters, Jiraiya leaned over his desk, intently typing at his computer with tense, staccato fingers.

He ignored his assistant, who'd been tapping at his door and glaring at him for at least four minutes.

"Commish. Commish…  _Commissioner Jiraiyaaaaaa_ …"

"What is it, Naruto!?" He snapped up from his triple monitors and snarled at him. He would never finish this scene with these constant interruptions! Could no one recognise he was working?

"Your secret-private line has been ringing for a while." He held it out to Jiraiya.

With angry fingers he tore at his wild, snowy mane. "Can't you see I'm in the middle of a chapt—I mean, yes, I'll take that," he corrected himself when Naruto's eyes widened and he shook his head ferociously, still holding out the phone. It was on speaker.

"Here, take this paperwork to do. I'll be busy for a while."

Groaning, Naruto gathered up the piles and hauled them back to his office—again—to forge his boss's signature on them. Better than last time.

"Helloooooo, lovely girl," he crooned, leaning back in his seat and propping his feet up on his desk—after moving his precious keyboard out of the way. He needed to protect his true source of income.

"Your people aren't where they're supposed to be."

Jiraiya twirled a pencil in the air as he considered Tsunade's words. "Well, they have some free movement, what with the beat cops and—"

"Cut the crap. I mean, you have entire districts empty of cops. What's up? Where are they?"

The pencil stilled. "How many districts? How big are we talking here?"

"Your entire financial district is wide open at the moment."

'Your' meaning, of course, the legal and official financial district. Not the black market, which was Slug territory.

"Since when?" he asked, rolling his chair over to the city map he pinned beneath his desk blotter. Some things were better old school.

"At least forty minutes to an hour, in some areas."

"I'm on it."

"You didn't order this?"

Jiraiya glanced up to see Naruto bent over his desk through the glass that partitioned their offices. No, even Naruto wouldn't leave the damn financial district unattended. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but the kid had uncanny street smarts. He would have spotted something like this pretty quickly.

"No," he admitted, voice lowering.

"It's in your hands."

"Thanks, ol' girl."

"Shut up and bring better wine next time. And get your people out there."

"Who told you?" asked Jiraiya, just before she hung up.

"Sakura. She's at the clinic today, just down the road. She raised the alarm."

"Good girl."

"The best. Now move your arse."

The line cut and Jiraiya swung his feet around to push his chair away from the wall, rocketing across the room to slam into the glass wall that separated his office from Naruto's.

Leaping backwards at the sudden noise and appearance of his superior, Naruto just gaped at Jiraiya.

The old man grinned madly.

"Get on the phone, boy! Who's on dispatch today?"

* * *

_**Relayed. Get back to the office. Don't get involved in anything; keep it clean. We need to tap the mole. - T.** _

Sipping her coffee in the cute, homestyle bakery several blocks from the clinic, Sakura smiled as if she'd just read a funny meme.

" _ **On my way,"**_  she typed back. With easy grace she stood and collected the boxed-up treats she'd bought for her co-workers, a dozen freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. She was just slipping her phone back in her purse when a deep voice to her left asked, "Is this seat taken?"

"No, I'm just leaving. It's yours if you need it…" Sakura's voice trailed off as she looked up at the tall, dark-suited, raven-maned man. Funny, she'd seen him around a fair bit but this was the first he was approaching her. She recognized him from his photos and time on the news, however, the Uchiha had always been easy to spot. "Sir," she added, with a polite nod.

He gave her a small smile. "Please, no formality. I'm away from the office."

Sakura shook her head and gave him a wink. "Well, I need to head back to mine. Enjoy your coffee."  _Do not engage,_  had been Tsunade's message. Anyone, for anything. She listened to her mentor, no matter what.

"You can't stay?"

"No." Her phone beeped at her. Another text message. She ignored it.

"Ah, it sounds like you're needed. Perhaps another time," he said, offering her his hand.

Her phone beeped again.

Sakura's smile was strained as she quickly grasped the man's hand and shook it, firmly.  _Always shake hands like you mean it and keep eye contact,_  Tsunade had taught her.  _You never know when you'll need to intimidate that son of a bitch later._

"I'm sorry, I really do need to go," she said, stepping back and picking up the cookies again.

"I'll see you again," he replied, giving Sakura a small, knowing smile.

Sakura had already crossed the small room to the door, nodding at him before she pushed through and away. Flattery and unease curled in her stomach.

* * *

_**You still grounded? — N.** _

_**Working. Free after 6. — S.** _

_**Cute bartenders at a bar I found. You in? — N.** _

_**Working. No. — S.** _

_**Come on! They love you! Girls always love you. Be my wingman? I'll buy you a round. Seriously, the girls are super cute. Lots of business types hang out there. Your kinda place. — N.** _

Naruto obviously knew nothing about 'his kind of place'.

Sasuke glared at his phone as it beeped at him again. He turned away from his dual monitors to stare out over the Uchiha Tech Enterprises main campus from Itachi's—soon to be his—penthouse office. It had once been their father's.

His father had occasionally stepped out of the office to a restaurant to network with potential clients, from what he remembered. Well, from what he remembered Itachi saying about their father. Sasuke's memories got fuzzier each year; if it weren't for photographs, he may have forgotten his parents' faces entirely. He shook his head. Time, the thief of memory.

Sasuke had assumed Itachi had been handling any necessary schmoozing; but, had he had time?

If he did this, would it free up his brother enough to keep him behind the wheel at corporate, and thus give Sasuke a chance to prove his worth in the other, unofficial, family business?

Hn.

_**Dress code? — S.** _

* * *

The nightclub was indeed a step above some of the dives he'd visited previously with Naruto, though it was louder than he'd been expecting. Adjusting his suit jacket and straightening his shoulders, Sasuke stepped through  _Godaime_ 's doors, bypassing the queue out front. Being Uchiha had its perks.

"That area settles down; you'll see," said Naruto, nudging Sasuke along, towards the back. "The cutest bartenders are over here. There's a really pretty one with amazing green eyes," he boasted. "We talked a bit last time I was here."

Something in the back of Sasuke's mind flickered with recognition at that, but he just nodded and followed Naruto. He felt eyes on him from every angle, and with each step he scanned the sprawling, sectioned room. Occasionally he'd meet a familiar pair of eyes; a colleague, business associate or client. Those he'd acknowledge with a nod. The others, more often than not young to middle-aged women, he disregarded; their eyes had a different weight to them, and he was not interested. He didn't have time for distractions.

"Hey Officer Naruto, you're out late. What can I get you?"

A feminine voice he'd heard only once before shot through Sasuke's hearing like an arrow, and he whipped his head around to see Naruto had stopped at the bar, leaning on his elbows as he chatted up the 'super cute' bartender.

With the green eyes.

_And the pink hair._

* * *

He did not feel guilty.

He didn't.

Even with Naruto shaking and confused beside him, tearing at his shaggy blond hair, he didn't. Not really. Not real guilt. Or shame.

"How? I don't get it?" Naruto mumbled. "I thought we were getting along so well! What did I do?"

Sasuke remained quiet as they sat in his car, each with a cup of coffee, watching the night sky.

"We really hit it off the other night! You're usually so emotionally offensive they turn right to me after a while, anyway! What… what did I do wrong?"

Bitterness swirled in Sasuke's mouth; it had nothing to do with the terrible coffee.

"I've been kicked out of bars before, but not since I cleaned up. And they  _banned_ me; they banned us! YOU!  _YOU got banned!_ "

Letting out a low breath through his nose, Sasuke closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the headrest.

"And you didn't even speak a word outside of your stupid 'hn'-thing!"

He really needed something for his headache.

Then Naruto whirled on him, obviously having come to a conclusion. "What did you do to her?"

"Hn?"

"No, you don't get to brush this off," said Naruto, true anger glinting in his cerulean eyes. "She was so nice; then, she gets one look at you and we're escorted out. What did you do?"

"Nothing. She's probably crazy."

"Don't talk about her that way!"

Sasuke's eyes shot open and wide at Naruto.

"You, of all people, don't get to call someone else names like 'crazy'. That's not respectful. Whatever you did to her, you need to apologize." Naruto's gaze was cold and hard, and Sasuke's back tensed in reaction; he managed to control the rest of his body's response to his friend's rare display of genuine anger—especially directed at him—but his back was strung taut as a bow string.

"Sasuke, I'm a cop, and at that bar, they know and respect that. The fact that you did something so heinous that even my professional reputation couldn't save us tells me you fucked up and did something personal to her. Do you get it? You humiliated me. Professionally.

"It's one thing when we were younger and used to razz on one another to get a rise out of each other, but I have never professionally damaged or endangered your reputation." Throwing himself back in his seat, Naruto scoffed at Sasuke, then gave an ugly, dark chuckle. "We finally met the one woman in Gotham immune to your wealth, power and looks. I never thought I'd see the day. Your asshole-ness has reached new lows, man. Congratulations."

There was silence, uncomfortable, between them.

Then Naruto's shoulders were drooping and he was hanging his head in his hands. "Jiraiya's going to find out. He's going to be embarrassed, too. Ugh." He shredded his hair in his fingers for a second before rising again and giving his head a shake. "But worst of all? That cousin of yours was there to watch it all. The bouncers hadn't even finished tossing us out and he'd already moved in. Tch!"

Sasuke's eyes sharpened. "Who?"

"Your cousin! That fancy lawyer. Madara," said Naruto, opening the door.

"Naruto, wait—"

"Don't talk to me for a few days, man. I have work."

With less of an angry slam, and more of a disappointed closure, Naruto swung the McLaren's vertical door shut behind himself and walked home.

Behind the wheel, Sasuke watched his best friend's back get further and further away before he pressed the ignition button on the console and tore away with a roar.

This was too odd to be coincidence. Something was up.

* * *

"That looked… upsetting."

Sakura turned to look at the man who'd approached while security walked Naruto and Sasuke to the door.

"I apologize for the inconvenience," said Sakura automatically, before she'd had a chance to turn around to look at him. She saw the door close behind Sasuke's tight-lipped, handsome face before swinging her full attention back to the man before her. "What can I get for… you?"

There was that strange, knowing smile again.

"I seem to have caught you at another inopportune moment. I apologize for my bad timing," he said, leaning a hip against the bar. He still wore the same suit he had that afternoon. Somehow it still looked immaculate on his tall, athletic frame.

"It happens. To drink?"

"Black Russian. Are you going to be at the bakery tomorrow?"

Sakura's hands were steady as she poured the vodka. "I don't know." She reached for the coffee, only to have him lift a finger. "Hold the cream."

"There's no cream in a Black Russian. It's black," she said. "Or did you want a White Russian?"

His brow furrowed. "I'm not very good at jokes."

She looked at him from the corner of her, and poured the coffee. He didn't blush or look away, though his fingers twitched. Ah. So he was nervous.

"What do you want?" She finally asked, as he paid her.

"Coffee."

She looked pointedly down at his cup.

"With you," he clarified. "Preferably somewhere I won't be infringing upon your work hours."

Picking up her cloth, Sakura wiped down the already pristine bar counter. "I work a lot."

"So do I," he said.

"I… I'm not really good at dating," she admitted. "If that's what you're getting at. I work obscene hours and I am pretty dedicated to my job. My day job," she clarified, when he in turned looked meaningfully around the bar.

"I've seen you around. You're a doctor at the clinic downtown, right?"

Considering how much he knew about her, Sakura nodded. She didn't offer information up to him, but it wouldn't do to conjure lies at this point.

"Why work here, then?"

"Helping out a friend." Sakura tilted her head to her fellow bartender, Hinata. Well, technically they were friends… and with bartending together they 'helped' each other. Lying was not one of her formidable strengths, and she kept her answers minimal.

The man nodded and leaned back, before pulling his wallet out again. He took out a rectangle of cotton paper and scrawled something on the back in flowing characters with his engraved, fountain ink pen.

"Well, for the next few days I'll be taking my lunch breaks at the bakery between one thirty and two thirty. If you happen to need a coffee, I would appreciate your company. It'd be my pleasure to treat you," he said, offering her his card.

Wiping her fingers on the towel, Sakura reached out for the card and felt her stomach flip-flop. So she'd been right.

_Uchiha Madara, LLB_

_Chief District Attorney || Gotham City_

He'd added his personal mobile number and e-mail address on the back in neat, elegant penmanship. And then, beneath that,  _1:30-2:30pm, M-F_.

Grinning a bit, she arched a brow when she met his gaze again. "Just in case my memory fails?"

He gave her a small smirk back. "Couldn't hurt." He nodded to her and lifted his glass. "Thank you for the drink…."

"Sakura," she said, and lifted his card. "I'll hold onto this. Ya never know when you'll need the law on your side."

"Or coffee," he said.

"Or coffee," she agreed.

They looked at each other another moment before his shoulders relaxed a touch, and he took a step back. "I see you have customers waiting, I won't take up any more of your time. Thank you, and I'll hopefully see you this week. Sakura."

"You have a good evening, Mr Uchiha."

"Madara," he said. "Call me Madara."

 _Tsunade is going to be so pissed at me._ Sakura smiled wider, and added a saucy wink. "Madara."

Beneath the counter she saw the red light flashing at her like an alarm gone wild.

_So very pissed._

The minute she had a breather between customers, Sakura nipped downstairs and relayed every word to her mentor. Then she ran back up the stairs again and continued serving and chatting and listening for the deals being brokered, the trades being made and the secrets being whispered. A few paces away, Hinata did the same.

When she relayed the last to her foster-mother that night, Tsunade nodded. "Good job; but keep away from Madara, for now."

"Yes, ma'am. For the lunch, should I?..."

Tsunade handed the card back to her. "Hold off until Thursday or Friday. We're checking a few things out." She rubbed at her head.

Sakura's brow furrowed. "Is everything okay?" Tsunade wasn't prone to headaches. Even with her notorious drinking habit, hangovers were rare.

"Hm? Fine, fine. I'll be around for a good long time, Sakura," smirked Tsunade, putting her hand down to reach for her saké. She gave Sakura a saucy wink; one Sakura had copied for dealing with others in the exact same manner. Distraction. Diversion. "Trust me. I'm too badass to be out of commission any time soon."

"Yes, ma'am," Sakura nodded, unconvinced but knowing better than show she doubted her mentor.

Fridays were a very busy night at  _Godaime_.

* * *

Madara's meeting was held in the very early morning, at a private residence in the sprawling mansion district beside the river's east bank. The long drive was gated behind iron bars, the property itself heavily forested for privacy. It was there that a half dozen vehicles, sheltered by the carriage house's extended awning, lay in wait for their owners to finish their business deep inside the stone-walled estate.

"It took between forty and sixty minutes for the police to respond, according to Zetsu, yeah," said Deidara. His arms were stretched across the back of the black leather couch he occupied, while his legs were spread wide, taking up space. He tossed his long blond bangs out of his face. "We didn't detect any communication into the police departments from concerned citizens or officers about the missing officers via official communications routes. Only the direction from the Commissioner's assistant, the Uzumaki kid, to the dispatch, yeah. The Commissioner was there on the call with Uzumaki."

His hands laced together behind his back, Madara listened to the report.

"So, then how did they learn of it?"

"Private number? Untraceable contact? Unregistered device, maybe, yeah?" offered Deidara. "Jiraiya may have one under an assumed name; perhaps someone called him on it?"

"Are we able to search the content of the cellphones and text messages, throughout the city, from approximately five to seven minutes prior to that dispatch call going out from Uzumaki?"

"Yes, but it will take time."

"Do it. As fast as you can. They'll be alert, temporarily, but it shouldn't be a problem for you. You've pinpointed everything you need."

Deidara waved a hand from the couch. "Easy peasy."

"And the rest of you?"

"There's some restlessness, in the form of excitement and anticipation. All are willing and eager," said Sasori, the 'Puppetmaster'. He was in charge of many of the smaller gangs and recruiters.

"They just have ants in their pants. It's been a long time since they've seen any action," said Deidara. The others nodded.

"Their patience is appreciated and will be rewarded," promised Madara. He turned to look at them all. "There is one last thing…About the Slug Queen's apprentice..."

* * *

**AN: Phew! Part 1 of 4. Please let me know if you find any errors!**   
**More soon!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Chapter 2**

* * *

The morning had dawned cool and brisk, particularly down on the waterfront.

Under the guise of inspecting the shipping division, Itachi meandered between cargo containers accompanied by one of his sources. Kakashi trailed them at a few paces.

"I thought you were retiring," said Kisame, squinting at Itachi as the sun rose and reflected off the water.

"Hn."

"Kid not ready yet?"

"He'll never be ready."

"Keep babying him and he won't be," said Kisame. "But that's your business. You asked about the gangs. Yes, they're still around. I've seen too many familiar faces. They're keeping quiet for now, though."

"Why?"

"Not on the Queen's orders. That much I was able to make out. Someone else is pulling the strings. They're calling him the Puppetmaster, but there are too many disparate groups; one person couldn't do it all."

"A coup, then. Someone is taking over the Underworld?"

"Someone's organizing the various smaller gangs; that's a lot of individual people. The Queen's still in control of her people, but no one's made a move on non-Slug turf in weeks, maybe months. Since that cousin of yours got into office."

That matched up exactly with what Itachi had thought.

"Anything else?"

Kisame looked down at Itachi. "Professionally or personally?"

"Anything else?"

"You've probably already heard this, but Madara has taken an interest in the Queen's apprentice."

Itachi nodded. He had heard this.

"And said apprentice has put a Stay Out marker on your brother. He's banned from  _Godaime_ , and all Slug nightclubs."

Kisame was one of the few people Itachi would lower his guard around—however minutely—and he did so, then, with a muffled groan. It made Kisame chuckle. Of course, this was going to make networking and business meetings more challenging for Sasuke, limiting his options for 'neutral' territory to discuss business.

"You really thought they'd hit it off?"

"Even I read people incorrectly, it seems," admitted Itachi.  _Well, there_ was  _hitting involved_ , he thought to himself with a small moue.

"I did warn him it would be a rocky road," piped up Kakashi from behind them, his head stuck in his book.

"Is that the new one?" asked Kisame, pausing in their walk to squint at the cover of Kakashi's book.

"Advance Reader Copy," said Kakashi, still not looking up from it. "Due out in six months."

"Any good?"

"If we could please return to the topic at hand," sighed Itachi.

"Killjoy. Well, not much else that I can share," said Kisame. "The rest are rumours, or that there is something big going to happen but they've put a blanket on communications for now. I can dig a bit, but it'll take time."

"Do what you can, but don't put your neck out," advised Itachi.

"The wife would have my ass for grass if I did!" The large man laughed, and Itachi allowed himself a small smile, even while his brow dipped in a small furrow.

"Thank you. The facility is holding up well under your management, Hoshigaki," said Itachi as they rounded the corner to return to the employee lot located behind a lumbering crane that rose up like a rusting dinosaur.

"Always a pleasure, sir," said Kisame as they stopped by the subtly armoured town car Kakashi drove.

Itachi held out his hand, and Kisame gripped it firmly.

"Please let me know if there are any changes expected."

"Yes, sir."

Kakashi shut the door behind Itachi after he climbed in.

"You can't borrow it," said Kakashi as Kisame loomed up behind him, only to deflate at Kakashi's words.

"Scrooge."

* * *

Itachi and Kakashi drove quietly through Gotham's gridwork of streets on their way to Uchiha Tech Enterprises' main headquarters. Industrial dockyard quickly morphed into depressed business, then gleaming skyscrapers. Familiar, reassuring, diverse. That was how this proud, wonderful city had always appeared to Itachi; however, now there was something sinister seeping in at its seams. Had he not done enough? Could he have done more? What had he missed?

From the driver's seat Itachi heard Kakashi sigh under his breath and shake his head, distracting him from his maudlin self-recrimination and doubt.

Occasionally, on these quiet, private rides, they would discuss matters of grave consequence, or, even rarer, little consequence. Knowing Kakashi had something on his mind, Itachi lowered the glass partition between them and turned to sit sideways on the bench to better hear him.

"Did I ever say thank you?" asked Itachi, as he always did.

"Every time you need something," repeated Kakashi, as he always did.

Itachi's features relaxed at the familiar repartee.

"You're thinking of something. Share."

"It's nothing."

"You're not only an employee, Hatake. I consider you a friend."

"Friend. Employer. Guardian. Porn-provider."

"I'll thank you to stop supplying such morally reprehensible material around the manor," said Itachi smoothly and making Kakashi chuckle. Even Itachi allowed himself a smirk.

They drove in silence another minute or so before Itachi tried again. "Sakura."

Kakashi sighed, his shoulders drooping.

"Tsunade has done her best to raise her to be strong and independent," said Kakashi aloud. Itachi nodded. "But there's only so much a father can take when he hears that someone like an Uchiha has taken an interest in her." They slowed to a stop as a light changed. "No offence," he said, lifting a gloved hand.

"None taken," said Itachi.

"There's a connection, isn't there. Between Madara, and the disappearing officers, and that coup Kisame spoke about."

Itachi nodded. "I think so. But with Madara's bid for mayor, I can't figure out why he would risk his reputation with potentially associating with a criminal organization. What does he have that he could control them with?"

Kakashi glanced at Itachi in the rearview mirror.

"Good question."

Itachi looked up and met Kakashi's eyes. "What are you thinking." It was more command than question.

"Nothing solid."

Itachi remained quiet, listening patiently for Kakashi to continue.

"It was a rumour. A long time ago. Nothing was ever proven and it eventually faded away."

Kakashi manoeuvered them through the streets with gentle corners and smooth accelerations.

"Funny thing, control. There was a bid, at one point, for a hostile takeover at Uchiha Tech Enterprises. Your parents managed it and stayed the course, and the company flourished under their control; but there were rumours someone else had wanted the CEO's seat."

"Who?"

Kakashi shrugged. "A few names came up. Nothing was proven that it was a serious bid or a serious criticism of your parents' leadership; but it was just after your mother announced she was expecting your sister."

 _Ah yes_ , Itachi closed his eyes. The unborn sister that they'd lost when their parents were murdered. The taboo scandal that had followed his and Sasuke's reputations over the years.  _The curse of the Uchiha_. It seemed they were unable to bear daughters.

"Hn." Itachi leaned back, resting his elbow on the back of the leather cushion. "What makes you think of this, now?"

"You spoke to Sasuke about him soon becoming the more public face of Uchiha Tech Enterprises. And taking on a larger role within the company."

Itachi's eyes opened to slits, catching on to Kakashi's train of thought.

"You think someone knows about our succession plans and intends to take advantage of some perceived weakness?"  _Or creating one._

"I am noticing similarities in timing, and trouble brewing. Correlation, not causation," clarified Kakashi.

"Hn." That was true. He remembered the instability from years' past, but not from the perspective Kakashi mentioned. He had a point. Itachi had been planning the succession to minimize the complications on Sasuke and the company; perhaps he hadn't adequately anticipated deliberate external interference.

"Explore a few avenues," said Itachi to Kakashi. Kakashi opened his door and walked behind Itachi from the private CEO parking area of Uchiha Tech Enterprises into his, even more private, sub-basement 'strategizing' office. That required a retinal scan and fingerprint scan and three separate key cards to access.

"Yes, sir," said Kakashi, typical eye-crease in place.

* * *

_**See what he wants. Keep your cover close. Charm his pants off. But make sure he keeps his pants on. Report back ASAP. We may have something. - T.** _

Sakura's brow rose as she looked down at Tsunade's text message on Thursday around one pm.

_**Will do! - S.** _

She tucked her phone into her purse, hearing but ignoring the last message.

"Does anyone need a snack? I'm heading to the bakery," called out Sakura as she slid out of her lab coat and hooked it and her stethoscope onto 'her' hook in the clinic's break room.

"Finally taking a break? You've been working full-out all week, Forehead."

Smiling at Ino, Sakura winked. "Hot date, actually. If I'm not back by two forty five, release the hounds."

"Like anyone of note would actually be interested in you," teased Ino.

"Low blow, Ino. Not that that's surprising, coming from the woman with the calloused knees, cough cough…"

Ino laughed at Sakura and texted her her coffee order. "Whatever, jealous."

Sakura's phone buzzed. "Got it, thanks. See you later!"

"Bye!"

It was a short walk on the parched Manhattan concrete to the bakery café, and sure enough, there by the window sat none other than Uchiha Madara. Impeccably dressed in his suit and tie, though with his hair tied up in a ponytail this afternoon. It suited him, she decided.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked, sneaking up behind him.

"Actually, it's… It's for you," he said upon realizing who it was. He gave her a small smile; though the look in his eyes was more than appreciative. "You made it. I was beginning to wonder if I'd need to break a leg to get your attention."

"I believe I did say I work a lot," she said, setting her coat down over the seat. "I'll be right back. I'm starving."

"Sit. Please," he added when Sakura's expression hardened. "Please," he repeated, more gently. "I'll get your lunch. What would you like?"

"The special."

He nodded and came around to her side of the table, pulling out her chair. "I was abrupt in my enthusiasm. I apologize." He tilted his head as he minded her reaction. "You don't appreciate being told what to do, either, I take it."

Eyeing him cautiously for a moment, Sakura nodded and sat down. It had been a while since anyone had pulled her chair out for her. Ever. She nodded. "Thank you." She let out a small breath. "And… correct."

There was that softening of his features again, before his shoulders straightened further and he went to place her order. A few minutes later he returned with her tea, soup and sandwich.

"They would have brought it over for us," she said, her mouth quirking to the side.

"Ah, but like you I live to serve."

"It's a busy life."

"Hn," he agreed.

"Do you come here often?"

His eyes paused on hers for a moment before he gave her a rueful smile. "Not often enough to get your attention, it seems." At her quizzical look, he dipped his chin. "Two months. At least."

Sakura flushed. "I'm… quite distracted, it seems."

"Hopefully happily."

"The company's growing on me," she said, smiling.  _She'd show Tsunade 'charming'._

With that they made small talk as they ate; he volunteered more information about himself than she'd been expecting, and pleasantly surprised her with his occasional wit. His eyes were what captured her attention, though. For all his feigned aloofness and social self-consciousness, he was attentive and sharp and hadn't missed a single of her gestures or expressions. His inky eyes shone with intelligence and flashed with humour and arrogance. She could admit, having his focused attention was a bit heady.

 _Sharp as a tack,_  she thought to herself, and understood how he'd come into his position. He was cataloging their interaction just as carefully as she was.

Alas, she found that interacting with him was just a bit too carefully staged; when the alarm on her phone went off, reminding her her hour was nearly up, she smiled apologetically at Madara.

"That's my countdown. My fans await," she joked, tapping her phone in her purse to cancel the subtle chime. "I need to order a quick coffee and a few things for my colleagues; I think this is where I'll need to take my leave. It's been a lovely hour. Thank you for lunch, Madara."

She held out her hand.

He looked at it, almost examining it a moment, before he stood and shook it.

"The pleasure has been mine. May I walk you back?"

Sakura smiled ruefully at him as he followed her to the counter; she placed the order for Ino (and several others who'd texted her while she'd been out; Tsunade had left another message she would check later) and turned to give him a knowing look. "I work with nurses. The biggest gossips on the face of the Earth. No offence to you, but I'd rather they not sink any of their sharp little teeth in my private life. Trust me, if they saw you again they'd never let up."

"Would that be so bad?"

Sakura's eyes widened as he touched her sleeve. "Seeing me again?" he clarified.

Damn, he was good.

"Ah—…"

"You're holding up the line."

Sakura's eyes narrowed to slits as the new voice interrupted them. Oooh, she knew that voice.

"Little Sasuke. How are you, Cousin?"

Sasuke snorted from behind Madara, arms crossed in front of him. "Hungry. Your order's up." He glanced at Sakura and sneered at her. "Molasses," he scoffed.

"Excuse me?"

"You're slow."

Madara's eyes flashed between the pair, before he reached around Sakura and paid for her order.

"Hey!"

He smiled at her. "That's a lot of coffee. I'll help you carry it back."

"But—"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "For god's sake, just go."

Sakura's snarl took even her by surprise. "Fuck off, Uchiha."

Both men paused, while Sakura flushed. "Um, I meant… Sasuke."

She felt her cheeks warm further when Madara chuckled deeply in his throat.

"Well, if you'll excuse us," said Madara.

With that he slipped his possessive arm through Sakura's, making it look like she was the one holding his, and drew her and her purchases away.

Sakura was still red as a tomato as she stalked down the sidewalk to work, her heels clacking with authority with every step.

"I… apologize," she ground out, taking a deep breath and forcing her feet to slow. She turned to look up at Madara. "You're very fit. Most people are out of breath from trying to keep up with me by now."

"The suit is deceiving," he said, and stretched his shoulders for her benefit.

"Hmm."  _Damn._

"I take it you've met my cousin before. He has that effect on people."

"It's actually his brother I'm properly mad at."

"Really?"

Sakura nodded, but provided no further details. With unspoken understanding, they slowed their walk to a more comfortable pace.

"May I ask why?"

Sakura forced a smile. "He misled me. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt and believe he didn't do it intentionally; but," she shrugged. "As you can see, it has had rather ugly consequences."

"Sasuke was always ugly, it was nothing you did," said Madara, offhand.

Sakura burst out laughing, genuinely.

"He has the social graces of a wombat," he added.

By now tears were streaming down Sakura's face as they walked. When she straightened again, it was to find Madara grinning down at her, his smile finally reaching his shining eyes. Her grip had instinctively tightened around his arm as she'd been laughing to help her keep her balance, and she flushed and loosened her fingers—until he reached over and rested his hand atop hers.

His expression softened, as did his voice. "Don't pull away; it's nice to walk with a beautiful woman and listen to her laugh."

Sakura shook her bangs from her eyes and looked away, heat rising again in her cheeks. "You are a player, Mister Uchiha."

"No, I'm attracted to you and have been for several months, and would like you to join me for dinner. Tomorrow," he said, slowing to a stop in front of the clinic and taking her hand. He looked down at her, his gaze caressing her features. "Around seven, seven thirty?"

 _He's a wolf in devil's clothing,_  she told herself. No wonder Tsunade said to be wary of him.

 _Tsunade never had him smiling down at her like she was the deepest galaxy to his mere mortal world,_  her inner retorted.  _Damn._

"I," she inhaled and steeled her resolve. "I would love to, but I'm on call. I'm sorry."

 _Tsunade had better have a very good explanation for this,_  her inner sighed.

"Could I persuade you to take-out and a movie, at your place?"

_Very, very good explanation._

Sakura's brow pinched as she considered him. Blowing out through her nose subtly, she tilted her head up. "Let me see what I can do. I have to decline for now, but I will call you if I can make some time tomorrow evening."

The corners of his eyes turned downcast for a heartbeat before his smile stiffened and he nodded. "Of course."

"I'm very sorry; I had a lovely time with you at lunch today, Madara. Hopefully we can do it again sometime," she said. "Soon," she added, leaning closer and smiling at him.

"Hn."

Her brow arched at that. "You didn't just employ the trademarked Uchiha 'Hn' on me, did you? Because that's something Sasuke would do," she teased.

—and it was in that split-second, when something sick and furious flashed in his abyss-black eyes, promising her suffering, terror and retribution, that she realized exactly why Tsunade didn't want her too close to Madara.

It was gone in an instant, but she'd seen it. She fought the trembling that threatened in her hands.

"I was raised far better than he was," he said, just as his phone went off. "And duty calls. Thank you for joining me today; I look forward to tomorrow, Sakura." He slid an arm around her, up the back of her neck to hold her in place, before he tilted her head forward and placed a kiss on her brow.

"Very much looking forward to it," he whispered, his lips against her ear even as the breath whooshed from her lungs.

Sakura was in such a daze she nearly dropped her gifts of coffee and beignets as she stumbled into the clinic. Ino, who'd been watching through the window, rushed to her side with an excited smile… until she caught sight of Sakura's pale complexion. She yanked a chair out for Sakura in the staff lounge and Sakura sank into it, grateful.

 _That look._  Sakura couldn't shake it loose.

She'd seen it in his eyes, recognized it and understood it immediately.

Uchiha Madara was absolutely mad.

* * *

It was only later, when she'd think back on the experience, that she realized just how well he had distracted her for their entire hour together.

* * *

Glancing down at her phone, Sakura sent off another text to Tsunade, her fourth in an hour, with no response forthcoming.

 _She hadn't mentioned any meetings_ , she thought to herself and debated outright calling her master.

"You have a patient waiting in Room Four," said Shizune, waving her fingers to get Sakura's attention.

Tsunade had been very clear about wanting Sakura to go to the meeting with Madara, and then to report back right away. Something was off.

"Sakura?"

Shaking her bangs loose, Sakura smiled at Shizune. "Be right there. Thanks, Shizune."

It wasn't completely unheard of, but it was unusual after such a direct order, for Tsunade to go AWOL. What she wouldn't give to go check out  _Godaime_ at that moment.

Sakura blew out hard. She would have to try again later.

* * *

Six hours.

Sakura growled obscenities under her breath as she made her way through Gotham to  _Godaime_. Six hours of no contact. It was after eight o'clock and she was tired, hungry and grumpy; but above all, worried sick. Tsunade had always given her advance notice before if she going radio-silent for longer than two hours.

Six hours.

Six hours felt like a very long time, and she pulled her Hayabusa to the curb as she approached  _Godaime_ and felt her stomach drop.

The external perimeter alarm had been breached.

It was well-hidden, and for all intents and purposes it looked like a sad, outdated little electronics shop just a few storefronts from  _Godaime_ ; but it was currently pitch black, not a single TV or monitor or LED blinking. Someone had breached the stronghold. The circuit had been compromised.

Swallowing, her anger rising higher than her panic, she steered her motorcycle to a side street and parked in one of the warehouses the Queen owned and kept vacant. The place was deserted, and Sakura decided against chaining her bike up, for once, in case she needed to make a quick getaway.

Through the underground tunnels she hurried, mindful to keep her noise to a minimum until she reached the back-up surveillance center and checked on Tsunade's rooms. In the darkness she manoeuvered carefully and found her way to the control panel she needed and slipped her micro-USB authentication key into the side, her nimble fingers entering codes she knew by muscle memory only. The surveillance center's walls were covered in screens and control panels, showing every inch of  _Godaime_. Currently, half were blacked out, their transmitters unresponsive, possibly destroyed, and the rest… the rest...

Anxiety seared through Sakura's veins as she noted the destruction in the rooms she could see on the flickering monitors, the broken doors and furniture, the smashed glassware and bottles, the cracked doorframes and walls.

The blood on the carpet.

And there, in the middle of a scored and burned coffee table, the remnants of Tsunade's phone.

Switching to the feed which showed the hallway outside Tsunade's office, Sakura swallowed a gasp as she saw Tsunade's black-and-white uniformed, personal guards lying motionless on the floor, surrounded by blood. ANBU. ANBU were down. The elitist of Tsunade's ranks.

Fear shot through Sakura's veins as she checked every monitor, every room she could, before she felt her knees shaking.

Tsunade was no where to be found.

Her gaze fixed back on Tsunade's office, and the smashed pieces of her phone.

Her heart sank. They would have been idiots not to have read the call and text history. Through the security monitors, she was quite certain that this had been a very thorough, very debilitating, very premeditated attack.

She was definitely going to need help.

* * *

Sliding her helmet back on as she climbed aboard her bike, Sakura's phone rang. She tapped the side of her helmet to activate the receiver.

"I'm here."

"Oh, thank the gods!"

"Ino?"

"I've been trying you for almost an hour, where are you?"

"I'm good. Near my second job," she said, mindful more now than she'd ever been. Someone had breached their security. Someone with a lot of muscle, which meant a lot of money.

"I'm sending someone to you to escort you home," said Ino in a no-nonsense tone.

"No."

"What? Have you heard the news? Seen what's going on out there tonight? We had to board up the damn clinic, Sakura!"

"What are you talking about?" Sakura glanced around. With her helmet on, it would muffle sound. She had to stay aware of her surroundings. It didn't look like the tunnels had been breached, but that was no guarantee.

She swallowed. And someone had taken Tsunade.

She had to find her.

"—fires, looting, riots, it's a nightmare out there!"

_Huh?_

"Ino, wait a second. Back up. What's happened?"

"Ugh, listen to me for once, geez, Forehead! I'm serious! There's a crime spree through the city! Nothing is safe; downtown, uptown, the 'burbs, the ghettos: it is all getting torched, or robbed, or broken… If you're near your second job, you might want to ask your boss what's going on. No one is where they're supposed to be, not even the cops. It's crazy out there."

"She's not in at the moment," said Sakura, glancing up at the filthy windows and noting the reddish-orange haze that had started to glow, further down the road. She prayed it wasn't  _Godaime_.

"What's that supposed to…  _No._ "

Sakura let out a low breath. "She's not there. I think someone unexpected came to visit."

For the first time that Sakura could remember, Ino offered no smart-aleck retort.

"What do we do?" she asked in a very young voice.

"Are you safe?" asked Sakura.

"Yes, very. With friends."

Likely Shikamaru and Chouji, then, and finally, Sakura felt like she could breathe a small sigh of relief.

"Stay there. I'll be in touch."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to get some answers."

"Be careful."

Sakura pressed her lips together. It was exactly as Tsunade's last text had read,

_**Be careful. - T.** _

"Stay safe," she replied.

* * *

Jiraiya looked up as Naruto burst into his hurricane-bludgeoned office, not even bothering to knock. He was followed by a beautiful young woman clad head to toe in black, form-fitting motorcycle gear, her helmet hanging from her tight fist.

His normally frizzy snow-white hair and become a full lion's mane, and his eyes were haggard. "What now? I don't have time for this, Naruto. We have an entire city on fire at the moment!"

"Tsunade's gone."

That stopped Jiraiya in his tracks. He whirled on Sakura; she stared him down.

"Someone took her straight from  _Godaime_. Someone's targeting her clan out there. They're using this crime spree to distract the police from the genocide of her people."

He stared at her, his hand tearing through his hair and mussing it further. "No, the Senju are too organized. They've run the underworld in Gotham for generations—"

"They have money, they have muscle, they had the plans to HQ." She rattled off each one with a vivid hand gesture to punctuate her points. "I need back-up," demanded Sakura.

Several officers outside the office began banging on the windows and door, and Jiraiya glanced up at them, waving a hand to request a minute.

"How long?" he asked, turning to Sakura.

"Between six and seven hours ago."

"Commish, we gotta help," pleaded Naruto. "We need the Senju out there."

The banging on the door got louder, and Jiraiya groaned and went to open the door. "I can't do much for now; once we get the city back under control, we'll have every available officer out there, pounding the pavement—"

"By then it'll be too late!" A cup smashed against the wall, bringing down a series of framed pictures. Breathing hard, Sakura's eyes warmed and she took a deep breath to calm herself and lower her arm.

But Jiraiya's temper snapped. "I know!" he roared back at her, his voice catching. "I know."

Naruto looked between them, and bit his bottom lip. "Maybe we can see if we can reach an old friend," he offered.

"I thought he retired," said Sakura, disbelief clear in her voice. "Tsunade said… after the attack with the acid in his eyes and down his lungs, he wouldn't be…"

She glanced at Naruto, who wrung his hands. "We don't have a choice."

"I'll call him," she said, flicking her eyes up at the ceiling. The roof. Help from above. "Thank you."

Jiraiya hustled her out, and gave Naruto a shove to get his behind in gear. "We aren't out of the woods yet. And Sakura!"

"Ah?"

"Fight like Hell. And… do what you have to." He gave her a long, meaningful look. "Just find her."

* * *

It was close to ten o'clock at night when Sasuke made it home. His car had definitely seen better days than the commute-from-Hell he'd just engaged in dodging burning rubble, drunken fights and worse. To finally park it in the safe confines of their estate's underground garage had brought a sense of relief—until he saw the dark figure looming by another exit tunnel.

He'd been about to press the button to engage the remote stun cannon (his brother had told him he was only ever allowed to use it in emergencies) when he realized who the cloaked spectre was.

"Itachi," he sighed, climbing out of his car. "What's with the nostalgia?"

Turning to face him, Itachi's cape and cowl pooled around him like a sentient creature. His lean, muscled form was encased in non-reflective, form-fitting carbon fibre and kevlar body armour. "I was called."

"You retired." He would not swallow. He would not swallow. There was no lump in his throat. "You can barely see. Your heart and lungs, last time, they—"

Itachi ignored his babbling. "I need you to promise me to stay here, tonight."

"The police can handle this," said Sasuke, his panic rising.

"Stay inside. Kakashi is not able to stay with you. Remain in the panic room, and do not, for any reason, leave it for the next twenty four hours."

"No," spat Sasuke, his fists already lifting at his sides. "Let them take care of it! They said they would never call again! Stupid, good for nothing pigs, they can't figure this out? What about Tsunade? Call her, she'll get them under control!"

"The police weren't the ones who called for help." Itachi paused, before admitting, "Tsunade is missing."

Sasuke just stared at him. The reason his brother had lived was because of Tsunade's care. The reason his brother had been able to retire was because Tsunade had agreed to take full control over the Senju—colloquially known as 'Slug'—and Gotham's Underworld. The reason the city hadn't descended into chaos prior to now, was because Tsunade had seized the reigns and set measures in place to ensure this would never happen. If she was gone...

"No." Sasuke's fists shook. "You aren't going out there."

Itachi looked down at him a moment. Then approached his trembling brother.

Behind his mask-shield, his eyes softened when he reached out to poke his brother between the eyes.

Then, faster than Sasuke could fathom, he'd released a gas canister and dropped it with a clank to the ground, before fading into the mist.

Sasuke tried to cover his lower face with his sleeve but already his lungs choked on the cloying gas, his eyes watering. His legs wobbled before he fell to one knee. His eyes widened as he stumbled after his brother. "It-Itachi," he coughed. "Itachi, ni-san, no." He coughed harder, his vision blurring. "Don't go." He fell to his side, and still he crawled after him. "Don't leave…"  _me, alone._

He vaguely made out his brother's figure through the mist and reached for him. "...'tachi."

"Kakashi?" said Itachi. His voice was muffled through a gas mask.

"On it," said their family retainer, his voice equally distorted.

 _It was planned_ , Sasuke thought as he choked on the sweet, cloying mist.  _They planned this._

"Lock him up before you go," he heard Itachi command Kakashi.

"Hai, hai," sighed Kakashi.

His vision dimming around the edges, Sasuke felt strong arms circling his waist, supporting him.

As the last of his strength left him, he heard his brother's voice for the last time.

"Goodbye, Sasuke."

* * *

**AN: Two more chapters to go! Please let me know if you find any typos & things. Cheers!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Chapter 3**

* * *

Peeking through from a side window, a Glock in hand at the ready, Asuma breathed a sigh of relief and opened his front door.

Kakashi grinned at him, his grenade launcher slung over his shoulder. "Yo."

"Get in here."

"Where's your better half?"

"Gallivanting about."

Asuma moved about the room to check between the cracks on the boarded up windows for any other signs of life outside.

"What do you want?"

"A question, I think you can help answer. Where's Sakura?"

"Who?"

Kakashi's smile never wavered. "My daughter. Tsunade's apprentice."

"You're looking in the wrong direction."

"Hmm…" Kakashi tapped his chin. "Are you sure?" He hopped up on a counter, as they'd moved into the kitchen, and casually pulled a familiar book from his pocket. "How're the wife and child?"

It took Asuma less than a heartbeat to react.

"You're a low-down dirty scumbag," said the man, cigarette dangling from between his teeth.

"Mmmm," agreed Kakashi, his eyes not lifting from the pages of his book.

Muttering under his breath, Asuma leaned against the opposite counter. He appraised Kakashi before blowing out a steady stream of cigarette smoke.

"Any ideas yet?" asked Kakashi in a bored tone.

Tapping his cigarette ash into the steel-basin sink, Asuma's shoulders dropped. "She's looking for her mentor; Madara took an interest in her; as far as I know, she's on the run and asking questions, but not staying anywhere long enough to get caught." Asuma looked pointedly at Kakashi's book. "And going by the last I heard across the radios, she's stirring up a bit of trouble for the thugs trying to pull the coup on Tsunade. A bit of payback while she's gathering intelligence."

"That's my girl."

"Using medical torture techniques that were banned via the Geneva Convention."

Kakashi paled and cleared his throat. "Maybe I shouldn't have left her with Tsunade so long," he admitted.

"Not like you had a choice," said Asuma, grudgingly.

Kakashi glanced up at the big man, who shrugged. "During the take-over attempts, years ago. Your dad was Fugaku's most trusted bodyguard. When they passed away, he was lured away and was killed protecting the boys. No one even knew he'd had a son until you popped out of the woodwork, fresh from military intelligence's scary side… and toting a daughter he'd never known about. You were what, twenty? Twenty one?" Asuma shook his head. "And you got landed with three kids."

Kakashi still remembered the call. One of the very few times his father had called him, once he'd reached adulthood.

" _Protect them,"_  Sakumo had ordered in his gasping, dying breath. Kakashi had been on the next flight back, little Sakura and their meagre possessions in tow. There hadn't even been time to ask questions until he landed in Gotham, tender Sakura sleeping tucked snugly against him in the military-surplus-supply-bag he'd converted into a makeshift baby carrier strapped to his conflicted, grieving chest. He thought back often on the trip, his hands resting and smoothing over Sakura's downy soft, pink hair. How stressed, conflicted yet peaceful, he'd been with the new and strange chapter in their lives unfolding with every step.

Once he'd gathered the threat against the Uchihas hadn't ended with the deaths of Mikoto, Fugaku and his own father, he'd sat down with Itachi while Sasuke slept. It had been an eye-opening experience, dealing with someone so like himself; a genius who'd never had the chance to be a child due to the expectations of others. He hadn't parented Itachi so much as guided him, been his friend and confidant. Sasuke, however, was another matter.

Of course, he couldn't have dragged Sakura into the mess; she would have been an instant target.

Luckily, he'd long ago met someone who would have made a wonderful mother, had she ever been given the chance. She had raised Sakura, trained her as a medic and an assassin, and somehow still managed to instil a sense of honour and justice within her. Sort of.

Kakashi barely recognized his daughter, some days, but mostly it was because his eyes were blurred with tears of pride.

And now that pride and joy was tearing criminals apart, limb from limb, to find her mentor.

He sighed. And he had to track her down and clean up her mess; because Asuma was right, he didn't really have a choice. He couldn't let the police catch her, and he couldn't let the criminals catch her. And he wasn't entirely sure she wouldn't start setting off fireworks to get their attention, if she didn't come across news about Tsunade soon. And he'd thought Itachi had it rough, cleaning up after Sasuke, he mused with a wince.

He hoped he still had a few favours to call in, back in military intelligence should the night go (further) awry. He was lucky he and Asuma had remained friends, after Asuma's 'retirement' from the Forces, and from Covert Ops with the military police. Asuma still had a few contacts on both sides, but he and his wife, Kurenai—another semi-retired CO agent—had taken a step back from operations since the birth of their… uh… child. Kakashi could never remember if it had been a girl or boy.

Kakashi knew how it felt to have something to protect with everything you had.

"I tell ya, I haven't seen this much destruction in a while," Asuma went on, oblivious to Kakashi's internal debate. "It's like all the work DA Uchiha put in to straighten things out with the criminals suddenly got upended and he pulled a one-eighty, reversing it on a moment's notice. It couldn't have been better planned if he'd done it himself. Though his dreams got shot down once before."

"Why, though?... What do you mean?"

Asuma snorted. "You hadn't heard? He's had designs on mayor-hood for ages; but with Itachi taking up philanthropy these days, rather than corporate direction, and hanging out more at the Tower, there are some who say Itachi should be running, not Madara. Madara already lost out on his hostile takeover bid at Uchiha Tech Enterprises, years ago—yeah, he was the one who tried to compromise Fugaku's directives when Itachi stepped up and surprised everyone after his parents' death when he took the company's reigns," said Asuma as Kakashi's eye widened. That was right. Asuma had been undercover at Uchiha Tech Enterprises for a while, a long time ago. Something about corporate espionage... "Now, with Itachi planning on passing control over to Sasuke, I wouldn't be surprised if Madara was just a bit jealous and insulted." He moved to another window, continuing his surveillance of their neighbourhood. "Especially considering how Sasuke is."

"What do you mean?"

"Hot-headed, arrogant, elitist." Asuma turned to give Kakashi a frown. "Not far off Madara himself." He shrugged. "Though Sasuke isn't bat-shit insane and actually has a conscience, misguided as it is."

Kakashi frowned at the implied insult towards his sort-of foster son. "Everyone has their challenges."

Asuma muttered something that sounded like, 'colossal hubris' under his breath.

"So… how does Madara having butt-hurt over not controlling UTE relate to the crime spree," wondered Kakashi aloud. "It's like this is a big diversion to drag Batman out of the woodwork since his retirement."

His feet, which had been swinging beneath the counter top, fell silent.

"He's the one." He snapped his mouth shut just in time.  _The one behind it all, trying to get Itachi killed so he can seize control, of everything,_ realised Kakashi as he went still.

_Madara knows Itachi is Batman._

* * *

Standing at his floor-to-ceiling wall of windows in his office in the Tower, his shoulders relaxed and hands clasped behind him, Madara watched Gotham burn. Nothing too close to the Tower, mind you, but a fairly cheerful, warming blaze all the same. How apt that it seemed almost purifying.

He took a deep, satisfying breath and let it out slowly.

"Flushed him out, yet?" he asked, not bothering to turn around.

"Sightings were reported about thirty minutes ago; they are coming from the densely populated areas," said Pein. "Though, going by his track record, we expect him to arrive in a little under an hour. We left several calling cards."

Madara scanned the horizon; its skyscrapers, domed roofs and boxy apartments. His. Soon, it would all be his. Every business, legal or illegal, and the biggest employer in the city, too. And the citizens. He would rule over them all.

Finally, the city would be truly run by the Uchiha, as it was meant to be.

No longer would they be dependent on the Senju.

"Hn."

"You've invited a lot of trouble to your doorstep, Madara," wheezed Tsunade around her crushed ribs. From her sprawling seat on his leather couch she scowled at him. "Big mistake."

"I'm doing the city a favour. Cleaning out the riff-raff," he glanced at her, "removing the vigilante activity," he glanced out the window for any glimpse of that elusive cape and cowl that had escaped him for too long, "and soon, on our way to a new, revitalized Gotham… of my design."

"They'll stop you."

"I hope they'll try," he agreed. "It'll make my success that much more significant." He looked at their reflection in the pristine glass window and held Tsunade's gaze and he lifted and flipped his phone in the air. "A shame about Sakura, though. I can see why you like her. She would have gone far." His eyes remained neutral. "If I would have ever let her up off her knees. Ah well."

Leaping to her feet, Tsunade staggered forward, spitting and swearing at Madara, until Pein closed in on her. He quieted her once more.

"Only took you four attempts that time. An improvement," remarked Madara.

Pein glared at Madara a moment before returning to sit at the desk to monitor the incoming news and intelligence feeds.

* * *

Atop the police station roof, the wind buffeted Itachi's cloak and Sakura's hair. She scanned the horizon and whirled around at hearing a soft footstep behind her. She flicked off the Bat-lamp, cutting its power.

"Why did you call me here?"

"I need your help. We both know someone kidnapped Tsunade. I need help finding out who."

Itachi listened as Sakura relayed what she'd found out.

"I have some information."

Sakura looked up at him when he spoke.

"I require you to leave the area in order to provide it to you."

Her green eyes narrowed at him. "My father commands neither one of us. That isn't your order to give."

With calm indifference, Itachi turned from his perch on the rooftop. "A debt is different from a command."

"You aren't going to tell me?!"

He had already hopped down a level away from her on the fire escape, enraging Sakura further.

"Are you serious!?"

"Hn."

"Then have fun navigating without your eyes."

Itachi paused at the ladder down to the next level, his cape flowing out around him.

"If you don't help me find Tsunade, then I won't help you restore your sight."

She heard the leather-and-kevlar gloves he wore creak with tension as his fingers tightened around the weathered, wrought-iron railing of the decrepit building. She had no idea how it was holding him up, but it couldn't have been by much. Or perhaps he'd lost even more weight...

"Tsunade has run out of options. Mine are the only ones she has left, and the only ones showing results," she continued. She straightened her back and glared down at him from her vantage point on the roof.

"So, your options are pretty limited, if you even expect to come out of this alive." She waited a tick, before concluding. "One way or another, you need my help."

He was too still for her liking, too considering. However, he weighed his options quickly and without a word, continued down the fire escape away from her.

Stunned, Sakura could only press her lips together and stare after him. Her heart was so full of anger and emotion she thought it would burst in her chest.

_Stupid, interfering father!_

Frustration gnawed at her insides as she mentally reviewed every bit of intel she'd been able to gather. Obviously she knew Itachi wasn't behind the coup; he was too busy with UTE, and his 'night' job, and tonight, running down rogue gangs, to have coordinated this. One of the only other individuals she knew with enough money to pull off the coup was Sasuke; but he wasn't the type. In his own way, he was too straight-laced. Beautiful, intelligent enough, arrogant enough, but a prick. He wouldn't be able to gather this many people to him. She had a feeling only those very close to him could even put up with him. This had to be someone with influence, a smooth talker, a...

Sakura's breath caught.

_That was it._

She spun on her heel and ran back across the rooftop in the opposite direction.

"Shikamaru," she called, via her helmet-phone as she peeked over the side of the building, before turning again and following Itachi's path with her eyes. "I need your eyes on something…"

* * *

"Naruto!"

"Huh?" He spun around in his office, unable to locate the origin of the muffled voice.

Waving at him from the ledge of his window—outside—was a black-clad ninja.

"Open up!"

"Sakura?"

She nodded, and smiled at him gratefully when he let her in.

"We're thirty storeys up," he remarked, queasy.

"Yeah, you need better security around here," said Sakura, stretching her back. "I need a favour. Can you get me into Sasuke's house?"

"Why?" He stretched the word out uncomfortably.

"Because I have proof of the person behind all this, and I need more firepower than I can access right now." Damn  _Godaime_ being compromised.

She looked at him, hard, and mentally willed him to understand.

But he shook his head at her, waving his hands in front of him. "I can't—"

"Can't or won't? It's his… someone he cares about out there," she amended, biting her tongue. She was trying not to give away too much, but at this point, was it even worth it? "I need to stop this. Someone is targeting that person and trying to get them out of the way; so that then they'll have a clearer shot at discrediting," damnit, she bit her tongue again, "someone," Sasuke, "before he is named successor at," DAMNIT, "a big important company." UTE. "Then, they intend to get themselves nominated as CEO, while they control both legal and illegal enterprise in Gotham. That way he can use his illegal enterprises to influence the decisions of his legal ones, and his competitors. That's why he went after Tsunade; she's the only other one standing in his way! That smug bastard is doing this to take over the city!"

In her frustration her fist smashed down upon Naruto's overloaded desk, sending it crashing down as one of the legs snapped clear off while another cracked.

Mouth gaping, Naruto's eyes bulged as he watched Sakura's heaving breaths.

Disgusted by his lack of initiative, she grabbed him by the front of his button-up orange shirt and shook him.

"Focus, Naruto. Now, give me the pass-codes into Uchiha Manor, or I will pop out your eyes and lop off your fingers and take with me only what I need," she breathed in a hiss, her voice low and dark. "You have them. Tsunade told me about you being one of Sasuke's bodyguards."

"Y-you're too terrifying, S-sakura..."

Her emerald-hard eyes glinted. "You have no idea."

* * *

They pulled up to Uchiha Manor, each on a motorcycle. Sakura tapped the comm in her helmet, nodding unconsciously.

"Thanks, Ino. Pass my thanks along to Shika and Sai, too."

"Anytime, girl. Keep me posted."

"Will do."

Sakura snapped her keys into her pocket, and turned to meet Naruto's curious eyes.

"Is she…?" asked Naruto as the phone beeped, cutting the call.

"She knows when to keep her mouth shut," said Sakura, flipping her hair out of her eyes. "Come on. She and Shika said the most frequently used at night entrance is over here."

"Sasuke?" Naruto called as they made it through the first level of security, passing through the first door. Sakura gestured to the right and they followed a winding path through underground tunnels towards a sub-basement. "Sasuke?"

"Is he not home?"

Naruto shook his head, his eyes narrowing. "No. It was made clear to me that he would be here. The others didn't want him out tonight."

"Hm. Maybe he went to bed early."

Naruto's face hardened and he shook his head, saying nothing. Neither of them believed that.

They passed by another few corridors, and then a closed, armed door. A scratching, stumbling noise filtered through, just barely.

Glancing at each other, Naruto raised his arms, gun in hand, and nodded at Sakura when he was ready.

Rather than kick it open, to his surprise, she punched out the electronics in the wall and ripped out the wires in her fist.

— _then_ kicked it open.

"Saves time," she explained as she swung her leg down again from her spinning crescent.

"Too scary," muttered Naruto as they advanced into the room.

To their surprise, it was outfitted like a luxury hotel room: TV, bed, separate washroom and kitchenette stocked with fresh food from what they could see, couches, books…

And there, propping himself up by leaning against the bed, was Uchiha Sasuke. He glanced at them in confusion, holding up a hand to his head. "Hn?" he mumbled, squinting his eyes.

"Get him and let's move," ordered Sakura, turning around and heading back out again.

"He could be hurt!"

"He's drugged, or he would have been a helluva lot angrier that I just kicked his precious door off its gilt hinges," she retorted. "Move it!"

 _Probably drugged him for his own good, too,_  she thought uncharitably. Behind her she heard Naruto dragging Sasuke up and out of the room, following her and mumbling apologies and half-hearted banter along the way.

"We need all the artillery we can get our hands on," barked Sakura as she yanked on Sasuke's hand and held it up to a scanner by an entranceway, a few minutes later. Naruto hung on to Sasuke's other arm around his shoulders as Sasuke stumbled slowly after them.

"Tsundere," muttered Sasuke, wrinkling his nose. "Why are you here?"

"I need your big brother's BFGs," she said. "And it's Sakura."

He sniffed at her, unimpressed. "And what are you going to do with them? Do you think you can even lift them? As if you know how to use them."

Naruto, still holding on to Sasuke's arm, closed his eyes and sent a small prayer heavenward.

For her part, Sakura just smiled.

"I'm going to save your brother's life, you miserable spoiled brat. Stay here and be a good waste of inbred DNA, would you?"

The alarm on the side of the door beeped, and then a pressurized lock released with a hiss, the heavy door sliding to the side.

Sakura's eyes and face lit up at the bounty.

"Ooooh, pretty," she purred, and sauntered through into the armoury. Christmas had come early.

"Are you… are you seriously going out to help Itachi?"

Sakura nodded once, not taking her eyes off the shelves of guns, armour, braces and ammunition. "Yes. Stay out of the way. This isn't laser-tag, rich boy."

Naruto groaned under his breath when Sasuke straightened up beside him.

"I know what I'm doing. I'm going to help."

"Uh huh, no, you're not. Naruto, we're done with him. Lock him up again," ordered Sakura as she lifted another weapon from a shelf, with no effort. The gun looked very heavy.

Sasuke frowned, before his brows shot to his hairline when Naruto turned around with him.

Sasuke tried, and failed, to dig his uncoordinated heels into the ground. "What are you doing? You're a cop! You don't listen to doctors!"

"Sasuke, man, we're trying to help you," sighed Naruto.

Struggling on his unsteady feet, Sasuke planted himself and shook Naruto loose. "No," he seethed. "I'm going to get Itachi."

"Not your concern right now," said Sakura. This time she did look over her shoulder at Naruto. "Hurry up, we need to get back out there."

"Hai," said Naruto, again taking Sasuke's arm and dragging him away.

"The hell, Naruto, we're friends! What are you doing? Why are you listening to her?"

Sakura's brow furrowed, her mouth pulling tight. She turned, her hand on her hip, her other arm bracing a sawed-off anti-tank gun barrel on her petite, muscled shoulders. Sasuke's eyes widened in amazement; it should have been physically impossible for her to even lift such a heavy piece of artillery. Didn't it weigh like a tonne?

"Look, Sasuke. In case you haven't gotten it yet, Naruto's on Senju's payroll. Not Gotham's. Now, if you ever want to see your brother again, preferably alive, be a good boy and shut up, go to your room, and let the professionals handle this."

"And you're the professional?" he sneered. At his side, Naruto sighed again and rolled his eyes heavenward.

Sakura stared Sasuke down. And in the space of half a breath, the temperature in the armoury chilled by twenty degrees as Sakura's eyes went icy, her stillness unnaturally calm and confident.

"Yes. I am, actually. I'm also your last hope, unless your want your psycho cousin Madara running the city. I'm Tsunade's apprentice, dumb ass. My people are being hunted just as much as your brother is." She scoffed at him and turned away. "You never did understand warning shots," she muttered, gathering up boxes of ammunition and piling them into her bag. That accomplished, she grabbed gauntlets and body armour and strapped them on. They were oversized on her, but she just tightened their straps as far as she could. "Whatever. Stay outside of your precious tower room. I don't care. Itachi gave everything he could to see you live, Sasuke; if you're going to throw away that effort, you deserve your fate."

Her eyes snapped up to his.

"But he doesn't. And neither does Tsunade, who has done everything in her power to help him. And so did I."

Velcro ripped into place and buckles tightened, Sakura gave one last look around the room before storming out again and shutting the door with a  _hiss-click-beep_.

"Come on," she said to Naruto. "Leave him."

"Sakura," said Naruto quietly, not leaving Sasuke's side. "He's afraid of losing his brother, cut him a break. He doesn't have anyone else…"

Sakura's stride slowed as she looked at the ground, then over her shoulder at them, cutting between each of them.

"Then stay here with him, if he needs a nanny." Then with a frustrated gesture, she added, officially (not that her eyeroll made Sasuke any more sympathetic), " _Protect_  him."

She hoisted her bag over her shoulders and rebalanced her guns. Her gaze shifted, her eyes shining with soft mirth as they landed on Naruto. "Hinata thinks you're cute, by the way. You should call her when this is all over."

His face flushing red as a tomato, Naruto choked on air. "Hinata?"

Sakura smirked. Then winked at him. "She has a thing for adorable dorks."

"Where are you going?" demanded Sasuke.

"None of your business."

"Who's your boss? You don't talk to me like that," he snapped, his fists balling at his sides. "Tsunade's gone, so who's giving you orders? I'll make them tell me."

Sakura's brow arched even as Naruto groaned again under his breath in embarrassment, rubbing at his flushing face and turning his face away. Sasuke was just  _humiliating_  him, that night.

"In case you missed it the first time I said it," began Sakura, her voice cold and even. "I'm second only to Tsunade herself. As you just said, she's gone. So, to be absolutely clear," she met and held his gaze. Her stance widened and she cocked her hip. "That means  _I'm_  the one in charge, Uchiha Sasuke.

"Tonight," she said, "I rule Gotham."

With that she spun on her heel and walked to the exit, tossing over her shoulder,

"And I'm going to get your brother back."

 _Because Gotham needs Batman_ , she thought to herself, sliding her helmet back on.  _Just as it needs the Senju._

* * *

It started as a whisper, then a wonder.

Sakura glanced in her rearview mirrors as she sped through Gotham towards the downtown sector. Towards the Tower.

First one car, then another.

Then another, shadowing her.

Even as she turned corners and swept between the traffic that still tried to escape the city, she noticed the same vehicles tailing her. And more, and then even more joined, until she knew she had almost a dozen cars following her at an rapidly dwindling distance.

They weren't doing anything—yet—just keeping her on their radar. Letting her know they were there, watching her.

The traffic light ahead of her turned red.

Glancing one last time in her rearview, Sakura caught a glint of metal poking out the passenger window of the second car; without a second thought, she twisted her hand on the throttle, gunning it through the light, her engine screaming at the sudden burst of speed. Shots fired, confirming she'd made the right decision to bolt.

Then, the real pursuit began.

Several blocks later, Sakura felt the sweat dripping down her back beneath her armour and protective gear.  _Just a little bit further!_ Any minute now she should be within Senju territory; and anyone still active would respond if she had to put out an SOS. If they were alive.

The swell of screeching tires closed in on Sakura. She swerved around the vehicles still on the streets, ignoring the yells of indignation and cries of surprise as she flew within centimetres of their doors. The added weight of the supplies she'd borrowed from Itachi's armoury offset the center of gravity on her bike every so often, however, and she bore down to avoid overcompensating—or overestimating her brakes.

_Almost there!_

Inside her helmet, her phone beeped. She ignored it.

It continued beeping. and finally, Sakura answered with a growl when she managed a small pocket of space between herself and her tail.

"What?"

"Left at the next light," commanded Shikamaru, his no-nonsense voice a shock to Sakura's system. But he wouldn't have called without reason, and without pause Sakura took the corner at high speed, leaning so low her knee skimmed the pavement. "Go straight for one hundred seventy five meters." The traffic lights ahead of her all turned green at once.

The tension in her shoulders eased a touch, and inside her helmet, Sakura grinned. Shikamaru's magic at work.

"There's a barricade coming up, but it's a fake."

"I can go through it?" she asked, wanting to be clear.

Sakura squinted; she could just make it out, in the shadows beneath the busted street lamps. It was coming up fast; behind her, she caught sight of her followers. They were being far more obvious, now; their windows rolled down, chasing wildly, occasionally smashing into other cars in their haste to get to her. She wanted to shake her head; it was the kind of entrance Ino would love to lay claim to.

She felt a sudden, sharp tug at her shoulder, and then a tiny gust of cold air slice over her skin.

Hmm. Then again, she didn't think Ino would like the gun shots.

"Stay to the left," he said.

Sakura looked harder; then she saw the blacker-on-black shadows, and she breathed a little faster.

"Shika, there's someone there—" She was too close to stop; another shot rang out behind her, and it nearly tore her head from her shoulders when it grazed her helmet. She clamped her teeth shut as she grunted through it, hissing at the reverberations that shook her.

"Hold on, Forehead," came a familiar, confident voice from over the radio; it was accompanied by a chorus of rumbling engines. "And seriously, stay to the left."

Sakura's grip tightened. "Ino—?"

The shadows ahead of her shifted revealing a small fleet of Hayabusa motorcycles and their pilots, black-and-white-clad ANBU, straight-shouldered Ino at their helm.

"We'll handle your admirers and be right behind you," said Hinata, her own engine rumbling. "Also, um, Naruto texted me and said—"

"Left, Forehead, now!" interrupted Ino.

Sakura flipped her center of gravity to the right, then snapped it left as she counterbalanced and burst through the barricade, bypassing the fleet of her motorcycle brethren.

"Go, go, go! We'll be right behind you!" called Ino. The rest of Hinata's words were drowned out when, with a war-cry that sent chills down Sakura's spine, the Hayabusas roared to life and launched themselves at Sakura's pursuers, swarming them.

Sakura swallowed her heart as she sped on. The Tower was less than a kilometre away.

* * *

Twisting a knob to dim her headlights, Sakura slowed as she approached the last turn that separated her from the Tower's main entrance and underground parking garage.

It was barely a flicker, but she caught the movement up ahead and snuck in behind a nearby overturned bus, smoke still billowing from its engine. It wasn't anxiety that twisted through her, however; it was frustration. She huffed through her nose in irritation as she killed the engine on her 'busa.

With a glance over her shoulder to double-check she hadn't been followed that far, Sakura ignored the presence that had stalked and waited for her in the darkness. With calm, confident gestures she released the straps of the packages buckled to her bike's saddlebags and criss-crossed them around her torso. She ignored the phantom footsteps that stopped across from her, and kept her eyes on the rest of her surroundings. She'd taken out the few guards who'd been left outside the building; she knew the tougher ones would be inside, protecting Madara, their leader.

There was no room for compromise; she was getting Tsunade and Itachi out. If she didn't, all of Gotham would fall.

But first, she had to get past this one. Insufferable. Jerk.

He cleared his throat.

Still, she ignored him, ignored his sigh and his silence as he waited her out.

She snapped the last brace in place on her thigh and secured her holsters one last time before she straightened.

"Yo."

She walked around him.

His arm shot out to grab her elbow, and she shook him off.

"Wait."

"Shit to do, people to save," she replied, looking straight ahead to her target: the Tower. She noted about seventeen storeys up there was a row of lights on inside, with the floors above and below lit up like Christmas trees. Not even bothering to be subtle, it seemed. He had brass.

"Sakura," sighed Kakashi. "Go home. Please. This isn't your fight."

At that, she did turn; and glared at him, furious.

"Everything about this is my fight. And you don't get to tell me what to do." She shook her head. "You walked away from that privilege a long time ago."

"I know you're worried about Tsunade, but she's an adult, Sakura. She can take care of herself."

"Why are you here?" asked Sakura suddenly. She flexed her hands, needing some way to release the energy that had begun thrumming through her.

"Are you here to help me? Or are you here to help them?"

 _The Uchiha_ , went unspoken between them.

He held her gaze a long time, she'd give her father that. But eventually Kakashi looked away, his strong, proud shoulders dropping minutely.

"I thought so," she said, turning back to the Tower. "Stay out of my way. I'll try and stay out of yours."

"Sakura, please," begged Kakashi, but she was already on her way.

"See you inside," was all she said as she decided to head straight for the main doors.

* * *

Grunting, Naruto yanked and pulled—until he heard the tell-tale sound of seams ripping.

"Idiot! Stop!"

"You asked me to stretch it as far as I could and I did!" Naruto shoved Sasuke and his kevlar-carbonite suit away. Well, technically it was Itachi's suit… which was why it wasn't quite broad enough in the shoulders, and at least an inch and a half too snug in the thighs. Sasuke would have huffed if he hadn't been already teeming with anxiety and frustration.

The Uchiha glanced down and to the back, over his left shoulder. Yes, there was definitely a tear there, along the seam. However, when he looked down the front, the suit was zipped up tight and, apart from being a bit more form fitting than intended, would work just fine. The boots and shin guards would cover his exposed ankles, anyway.

"I hadn't realized how much bigger you were than Itachi," said Naruto, sliding a reinforced carbon-fibre spine-protector into place in the slots on Sasuke's back before zipping the pockets shut. The pockets themselves were blue, like an electric stripe across his shoulders and arms, and was padded with shock-absorbing material… and would camouflage his tear (and the weakness in the personal protective gear).

But Naruto's words gave Sasuke pause: he was physically larger than Itachi? Naruto wasn't the only one who hadn't noticed. Neither had Sasuke. It was a bit troubling. He knew his brother had been losing weight, but had he really outgrown Itachi by this much?

"Do you want a cape, too?" asked Naruto, distracting Sasuke.

Sasuke thought it over. It added to the defensive capabilities, but he wasn't used to it. Any of it. It would likely be more hindrance than anything, that night.

"Hn," he said, to the negative. He slid on his gauntlets. Then his eyes lit upon a prototype sitting on one of Itachi's work benches, under a plexiglass casing.

"Warm up the McLaren," ordered Sasuke, tossing Naruto his keys. "I'll be there in a minute."

"Are you sure you're okay to drive?"

"It's out of my system," lied Sasuke, and somehow it was enough to convince Naruto. Or maybe his best friend had finally had enough of everyone telling him what to do that night and just went along with it. Sasuke wasn't going to question it if it worked.

After a quick sweep of the area Sasuke gathered up the rest of his mini-arsenal and stepped up to the case.

And smirked.

 _This_ was more his style.

* * *

**AN: Hope you're enjoying! (I'm sure some of you can guess where I'm going with Sasuke's character right about now.)**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Chapter 4**

* * *

Sakura made it successfully through the first five floors of guards before she ran into what she assumed was one of the tougher lines of defence Madara had stationed.

"We've been waiting for you," said Deidara, his electric blue eyes focusing on her as he gave her a quick up and down. "He mentioned you were cute."

Unimpressed, Sakura tossed her ponytail over her shoulder. "I don't suppose you could point me in his direction?"

"Maybe. What's in it for me?" He grinned.

"I let you leave breathing."

He laughed, and faster than she'd anticipated he shot across the room. She was a half-step too late to react, and felt the impact as it knocked her to the ground with a grunt.

That was going to bruise.

* * *

"She has encountered Deidara and engaged," said Pein, looking down at the security footage from the fifth floor.

Her breathing more laboured by the hour as her lungs filled, Tsunade remained stoic in her place on the couch.

For his part, Madara nodded. "Let's watch it up on the big screen," he said, and the footage was silently projected on the darkened wall at the back of the room. "Ah," he sighed. "She is a wonder. Wouldn't you say so… Kakashi, wasn't it?"

Seeping from the back wall's shadows, Kakashi stepped into the light.

"How can I help you tonight? Are you looking for your daughter, perhaps?" He gestured to Pein. "Sound."

Kakashi's hands were tucked into his pockets as he sauntered forward, ignoring the projection of his daughter's battle. Behind him, sound ignited just in time for Sakura to be thrown into a support column with a pained cry, collapsing to the ground. Tsunade gasped and breathed harshly. "Sakura…"

"You raised her well. Tsunade," added Madara. "She was so promising." He shook his head. "Do you know how many donuts and cookies I had to shove down my throat, and I still couldn't get her attention? Your control over every aspect of her life is admirable, if frightening." He chuckled. "Though I suppose it couldn't get in the way of nature. Even she couldn't control her temper when it came to that brother of yours, could it, Cousin?"

"He's not here," said Kakashi.

"Yes he is. If you're here, he's here," said Madara, matter-of-fact.

There was a half beat pause before Itachi appeared from the far corner of the room. "He is correct."

"See, this is exactly what I wanted." Finally Madara turned to face them, and none missed the gleam of madness in his overbright eyes.

"What is?" asked Itachi, remaining where he was.

Tsunade, though, slumped on the couch, her eyes red. In the video, Sakura refused to stand. She watched as Deidara approached Sakura's prone body, then lifted her in his arms. Her legs dangled over his elbows, her head hung at an odd angle.

"Is she breathing?" asked Madara.

"Yes," said Deidara, leaning closer to Sakura's mouth. "But barely."

"Bring her to the second boardroom. I look forward to nursing her back to health," he said, not missing the tension his remark sparked. "Once I finish up my meeting."

"Understood, yeah."

Kakashi's hands had fallen from his pockets and tightened to fists; Tsunade's breathing had turned guttural as she struggled to stand; and Itachi had disappeared.

"Now that I have your attention, I have something I'd like to discuss," said Madara, folding his arms in front of them.

But Kakashi had leapt forward, quiet and low, and swung at Madara.

—until shots rang out and Kakashi stumbled, missing Madara by a fraction of an inch.

Madara smirked.

"Your funeral rites."

First five, then ten, then twenty thugs appeared in the room. From meeting rooms, hidden doors, some even sliding down from the ceiling, they sprang, grossly outnumbering Itachi and Kakashi.

"Find Batman. Toss this one on the couch beside the other bleeder," said Madara as he waved them into action. He didn't bother turning to Pein, who had sat at his command centre through the entire night, just gave his command. "Let me know when she arrives." Pein nodded.

It wasn't even a minute later when half a dozen gas canisters and flash bombs exploded in the room.

Madara sighed and pulled out a mask from his desk drawer. He ignored his coughing, choking subordinates.

"I knew he was going to be difficult."

* * *

"What can you tell me about the Tower?"

Naruto just looked at Sasuke. "It's downtown?"

Sasuke's expression soured. "I meant about the inside. Layout, security, escape or entrance routes."

"Uh… nothing?"

Sasuke's hands tightened on the steering wheel of his McLaren.

"I don't work there! I've never even been inside without Jiraiya! And we're usually just being hustled around for photo ops and stuff!"

Letting out a low, heavy breath, Sasuke stared out the windshield.

"Do you have GPS in here?" asked Naruto.

Sasuke's brow lowered and he pinched his lips together.

Naruto's shoulders dropped. "You're shitting me. How much did you pay for this piece of junk car, and there's no GPS?"

"I didn't buy it in order to be practical," he ground out.

"No, you bought it to drop panties," said Naruto, sarcastic. "How's that working out for ya?"

"Do you have a damn GPS in your phone?"

"Uh, yeah?"

Sasuke threw his arms in the air. "Then why aren't you using it!?"

"It'll use up my data plan!"

"I'll pay for your damn plan! I'll pay for your phone, I'll buy you a fucking phone warehouse! Just tell me where I need to turn off to get to the damn Tower!"

"Fine, fine! Geez, gimme a second. Loading… loading…"

Breathing hard and clenching his teeth, Sasuke barely held himself back from ripping off his steering wheel and beating Naruto to death with it.

"Loading… Hey, how come we can't use your phone?"

The Uchiha ignored him. Deliberately.

"Oh, never mind, here we go! Turn left… five miles ago," Naruto added in a tiny voice.

Sasuke seethed poison from his every pore.

Naruto shook his head and pointed. "Never mind! Just get off at the next exit. We'll get there, no worries!"

Grip cracking as he squeezed the wheel, Sasuke was beginning to think it probably wasn't a bad idea that Sakura had gone ahead first. Also, he wondered if she had deliberately left Naruto with him to slow him down. It would be just like her.

She was fetchingly cunning.

He frowned, and swallowed.

"Uh… is there a reason we just skipped that exit?..." Naruto peered behind them in the rearview mirror, brow furrowed.

Sasuke swung the wheel hard to the left, the tires screeching in protest as he floored it.

"Tch. Warn me next time."

* * *

Deidara stepped back as Madara watched from a short distance away.

"The others need your help. Come back when you're done," said Madara.

Deidara nodded and gave a mock salute. "Right on, yeah." He glanced at the pale, bruised young woman on the leather banquette. "She has a mean right hook," he warned. His brows jumped up when Madara chuckled.

"I know," he said appreciatively.

When the door closed behind Deidara, Madara continued watching Sakura.

"I know you're not asleep."

She remained unmoving, unconscious for all appearances.

Madara sighed through his nose.

"I'm not stepping closer for you to get your hands on me."

He paused in reflexion. "Well, maybe," he amended. "We could arrange something."

Still, no response.

He considered her before taking a seat beside her, appraising her. No change to her breathing or colouring. Interesting. She was so controlled.

He reached out and twisted his long fingers in her hair, smoothing it out beneath and around her. He petted and arranged it neatly, noting the scrapes and scratches on her face and neck, the tears singed on her motorcycle gear. Armoured. He approved. Though she had no need of it here, with him.

His hands slid down from her hair to her collarbone, resting on the velcro fastener that covered the top of her suit's zipper. A quick, almost careless motion later, and he'd torn the velcro piece open and pressed his fingers down on the seam of the zip, tracing it down, down, down to her belly with one warm, wide palm, while the other settled around her hip.

"I had such high hopes for you, you know." His grip tightened as he squeezed, and Sakura exhaled in pain, a small moan passing over her lips, though she didn't stir. "I don't like to be disappointed."

Still, it didn't seem to raise any reaction from her. Odd. He saw her eyes roving the room when Deidara wasn't watching. She had cased the place. He was sure of it.

Never a fan of necrophilia, he sighed and turned away, flicking his hand in the air. "Well, you've obviously inherited Tsunade's bullheadedness. There's water in the fridge. Help yourself."

With that he turned and walked out. She would come to him in time.

* * *

Pein stared at the screen before him with no reaction.

Passing by behind him, Deidara stopped as his eyes caught on a pair of figures showing up on the infrared scanners.

"More guests?" he asked. "Were we expecting anyone else, yeah?"

"Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto," said Pein.

Deidara goggled at him. "Were you planning on telling the boss any time soon?"

Pein gave Deidara a quelling glare. "Go tell him."

Rolling his eyes, Deidara swept away with a mutter.

From the couch, Kakashi watched Pein and Deidara's interaction. Interesting.

Then he saw the shadow rise up behind Pein, before the man slumped forward, unconscious.

The shadow slipped back into the darkness, dragging Pein along with it.

* * *

Dawn lit the room with a glow and Sakura groaned as she straightened on the couch, bringing a hand to her lower back and pressing. Hyperextended. It had paid her ticket straight to the top, though, she thought darkly.

"Finally awake?"

"Oh, you again," she sighed, leaning back and closing her eyes. "Get me a bottle of water."

Deidara frowned at her. "I'm not your servant."

"Do you want me up and moving around and getting behind you?"

His brow furrowed as he frowned at her; it only made Sakura bolder. She smirked. "You were so dispensable they put you on girl-sitting duty?"

"You're not a regular girl. Boss has plans for you, yeah."

"That's a shame, I came to tell him the honeymoon's off."

Deidara snickered at that, to her surprise. "No wonder he's interested in you. You stand up to him, yeah?"

"I have a very low tolerance for bullshit. And head injuries. Water, now."

"I didn't hit your head," he said, though he turned around and bent down to open the mini-fridge—just as Sakura snuck up behind him and smashed a chair over the back of his exposed neck. He dropped like a sack of potatoes.

"No, I hit yours," she agreed, tossing aside the broken chair back.

Mindful of energy conservation, Sakura dragged him back and closed the fridge door, after grabbing a water bottle for herself. Overwhelming Captor: Achievement Unlocked, she stuffed Deidara in the closet, crushed his radio under her boot heel, and took a long swig of ice-cold water.

The sound of scraping caught her attention and she swung around, her eyes straining in the half-light.

"Itachi?"

"Nope!"

Her eyes widened as her expression turned downcast. "Naruto?"

"Hey! Why so disappointed?"

She sighed, her hands dropping to her sides (though she was careful not to spill her water). "What are you doing here?"

"Technically, you told me to protect Sasuke," said Naruto, his pointer fingers pressing together in front of him as he spoke to the floor.

Sakura winced, her shoulders slumping. "Oh please, don't tell me he's—"

"We came to rescue you, you ungrateful—," broke in Sasuke.

"Sakura, look out!"

Not turning her attention from Sasuke and Naruto, Sakura whipped a pistol from a pocket behind her back and shot out Deidara's kneecaps as he'd been trying to sneak up on her. She ignored his grunts and cries of pain to quirk a brow at her pair of 'rescuers' as she smashed Deidara's head down, knocking him out. Her thoughtful, well-intentioned 'rescuers' suddenly looked far greener than they had a moment before.

Sakura shrugged.

"I have it under control but thanks, that was really thoughtful of you."

* * *

"Nice suit." Sakura eyed Sasuke up and down.

He glared at her smirk.

"Little snug?" she asked. "You know, it isn't healthy for men to be too constricted in certain areas. Bad if you want to continue the family."

Pressing his lips together until they formed a firm, white line, Sasuke ignored her.

"How did they not frisk you for weapons," he said instead.

"Psht, they did. I stole that one from Madara when he tried to feel me up."

Stopping dead in his tracks, Sasuke just stared at her. She ignored him and carried on, checking rooms as they went and taking out any sentries they came across. Sakura relented, though, as she heard something faint, distant. A conversation. She lifted a hand, and they advanced more slowly.

"Guys," mouthed Naruto, checking around the corner. Sakura and Sasuke nodded.

"Why are we sneaking, they're at least another few rooms away," said Sasuke.

Sakura blew out through her nose. "It's the only way to find anything out around here."

* * *

Madara's smooth voice cut through the shifting shadows as the sun rose behind him. His chest rose and fell quickly, and the room was a mess of broken furniture, fractured pictures and bashed in walls.

"You know you can't kill me, Itachi. You've never killed anyone," he said. His tone conveyed disappointment. "And I'd had such high hopes. But I suppose that's why Gotham's finest gave you a pass on the crimes you committed in order to fight the messier criminal elements. As long as you don't actually kill anyone, they just look the other way."

His hand bracing himself against a splintered door frame, Itachi wheezed. "I will never kill another person, Madara. What is this for? All of this? Citizens murdered in their homes, the unrest and destruction? Everything our family worked for, you've debased," he said, his voice raspy, his breathing laboured.

Madara's eyes widened with delight.

"That's exactly it! Everything  _our_  family worked for. Everything!"

Itachi couldn't seem to catch his breath, but Madara barrelled right along.

"Everything! We built this city!  _We_ did! The Uchiha! We fought the original council, we built the businesses, we created industries! We raised this city up from its ashes, and for what? For you to give hand-outs to those who refuse to work, for you to give away money to charities for those who don't want to earn their way? You hire criminals for gods' sakes, Itachi! Our families would have been ashamed of you!"

Itachi panted, his hand sliding down the door casing, his body trembling as he struggled to stay upright. "No," he gasped. "This is exactly what they wanted. To support Gotham, no matter what a person's station was. Together, we are stronger. It's why, after we did it, a Senju has always been our personal family medic. It's why they have always taken over the tasks, the dirty ones, we never could. We owe the Senju for their willingness to take on these roles."

"Never!" Madara swept across the room, stalking around like a predator. "This city owes the Uchiha; we own it. When I am mayor, I will control every major corporation in Gotham. The legal and illegal will be mine. The citizens will be mine. I will rule them all. Not you! And not that whiny piece of spoiled brat, shitty brother of yours, Sasuke!" He shook his head, disgusted. "Also, how could he insult Sakura? Did you not teach him any manners?"

Sasuke swallowed when he heard his brother groan. Sakura just eyed him balefully, while Naruto glared at Sasuke.

"Where is she?" asked Itachi.

Madara waved dismissively. "Safe. She's a big part of my new order."

"She will slit your throat in your sleep."

Sasuke turned to stare at Sakura; she was staring straight ahead, scanning the room. Her bottom lip stuck out as her brows furrowed and she slipped away, shaking her head at Naruto and Sasuke.

Sasuke stared at her another moment longer but she waved him off and pointed behind her.

 _Tsunade,_  she mouthed at him, and he nodded. It was true; they hadn't found her yet.

He turned back to his family as she disappeared around a corner to search.

To his surprise, Madara laughed at Itachi.

"She's not afraid of getting her hands dirty, is she?" he said, pleased. "But I have ways of convincing her. Assuming they're still breathing."

_'They'?_

"Can you imagine how angry she'll be with you, when she finds out you didn't save Tsunade, or her father?"

Naruto looked up at Sasuke, who felt his blood drain out of his face.

_Her father?..._

"I mean, first your family has her grandfather killed. Now, her father put himself in the line of duty to protect you, too. Her father gave her up as an infant in order to rush back and look after you and Sasuke, didn't he? How does she feel about that, Itachi?" Madara grinned. "Or, rather, how does it make you feel? To know you've failed everyone you swore to protect after they  _threw away their own children to protect you_?"

"We have never taken a life," gasped Itachi. "Our parents and her grandfather were killed protecting us."

"Yes," said Madara, dragging out the word with a tinge of disgust. "And you were annoyingly difficult to lure into the average childhood fatal mishap, even after that," he muttered, buffing his nails on his shirt. "Hatake Kakashi. Who'd have thought the man disowned in disgrace would have been so nimble at child-rearing. Well, except for Sasuke and Sakura. Actually, he was a pretty terrible father-figure, wasn't he? Still. So much wasted time," he said, shaking his head.

Itachi's breath caught. It was so quiet one would have heard a pin drop amidst the room's wreckage.

"You…"

"Me? Oh, I thought it was obvious. I've been trying to kill you all since you were infants," said Madara flippantly. "Tsunade had Sakura quite tightly wrapped up in the inner sanctum of the Senju clan, though, while Kakashi was an utter nuisance."

 _Kakashi. Kakashi was Sakura's father._ Sasuke felt something hot and sick bubble up inside him.  _No wonder she hates me,_  he thought.  _Now he would never have a chance with—_

Suddenly Itachi moved, and Sasuke felt his lungs clamp shut. Naruto grabbed his arm and pointed, just as Sasuke saw the men whip around each other, kicking, swinging punches, and snarling.

His brother. Itachi.  _Itachi was snarling like an animal at Madara._

"You will never touch Sasuke," he growled, landing a punch in the side of Madara's neck. "Never. And Sakura will fight you with everything she has."

"She was pretty docile earlier," challenged Madara, gleeful. "Though I'm so glad you said that. I can't wait until she's more responsive."

Itachi yelled and swore, and went after Madara again.

Naruto was tugging on Sasuke's arm again, and pointed behind them. It was Sakura, dragging Tsunade and Kakashi towards the elevators and waving them over.

 _Help_ , she mouthed to them.

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other, before Naruto nodded and rushed back to her. They loaded them into the elevator and disappeared. Sasuke turned back to the fight.

Now, now they had the other two safe, which meant he could help—

—Itachi let out a gasp and fell to the ground.

* * *

Sakura's heart was full to bursting as she and Naruto made it outside with her father and mentor.

"I already called for help. From the Senju," said Naruto as they peered out in the dawning light. "They should be here any minute."

"Forehead? Sakura? Are you okay?"

"Ino!"

"Sakura!"

"Hinata!" Sakura breathed out in relief, her shoulders relaxing. Her arms shook with relief.

"We have vehicles ready, over here." Ino ushered them across the square in front of the Tower to the fleet of SUVs and medical vans. Senju medical vans. "We'll get everyone back to rights."

Sakura smiled gratefully at her. Ino had her back, always. Barking orders left and right, Sakura, leader of the Senju for the time being, organized the teams and had Tsunade and Kakashi on the road to stabilization in record time. It was still going to be touch and go with regards to complications, but Sakura was finally able to back away a step and let someone else (who'd had more sleep) take over to give her a breather.

Hinata waved her over, and gave her a quick hug, which Sakura returned, grateful. Her friend looked around, smiling and blushing as she saw Naruto coming to meet them, but then her midnight brows creased. She scanned the area again.

"Where are Sasuke and his brother?"

Naruto shook himself, spinning to look up at the Tower. "Still inside," he said, his sky blue eyes seizing open. "Sakura, we need to—"

Distant shots rang out, and suddenly one of the windows above them burst outwards, raining glass down. A few members of the Senju crowd cried out and covered themselves.

 _Itachi_ , thought Sakura with a tremor of anxiety.

Then she heard the wild yelling from above, then crying out, though it wasn't clear enough to hear the words. But she recognised the voice.  _Sasuke._

"Give me that medi-bag over there," demanded Sakura, straightening and reaching up into the nearest medi-van and grabbing at it. "Now!"

Swallowing over the dry, aching pain in her throat, she gave a last look at her parents, and then raced back into the Tower.

* * *

Madara laughed aloud as Sasuke charged at him, his escrima stick whirling and aiming for Madara's wrists.

"Oh, this is fantastic! Is this what Itachi sent you away to learn at that boarding school?"

"You killed our parents!"

"You're acting like it was personal."

"Don't you dare be facetious with me!" Sasuke screamed. "You stole my parents! You stole my brother!"

"I stole your girlfriend, too," grinned Madara, and he laughed when Sasuke charged him again. "Is this all that fancy stick can do?"

Chest heaving, Sasuke's fingers slid over the sinuous, snake-like engravings, the quality craftsmanship… the camouflaged controls.

His midnight eyes blazed with hate.

"No."

* * *

Sakura could have cursed the elevator for its torturous pace.

Confinement within the claustrophobic elevator cabin made it all worse. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins, knew she was hyper-alert, and also recognised the trembling in her limbs from injury and fatigue.

 _And emotional distress,_  her inner added, though not unkindly.

"Just a little bit longer," she begged her body as a tide of dizziness crept over her. She grabbed for the mirrored wall panel of the elevator to catch her balance. "Just a little bit longer…"

* * *

The electricity sizzled through the ends of the escrima stick, whipping around to catch Madara in the side. It tasered him with bolts and crackles of energy.

He hissed in pain, but remained standing, sweeping his leg around to kick out the back of Sasuke's knees. Sasuke dropped, rolling to the side and keeping his hold on the adapted bo.

"Nice toy," growled Madara, his lips peeling back in a sneer.

"I call it Kusanagi," said Sasuke, flipping back onto his feet again.

"I'll call it whatever I want as I shove it through your rotten carcass and bury you beside your parents," snarled Madara.

They leapt at each other again, and Sasuke felt Madara's blow land on the side of his face before he saw it coming.

He fell down, his hand automatically rising to protect his face; Kusanagi's blue stunners flickered out as the escrima stick rolled away from him.

"For Christ's sake, Sakura can take a punch better than you can," said Madara, gasping and pulling a gun from behind him. He pointed it at Sasuke's head.

"Damn right I can."

Sasuke and Madara's heads whipped around, just in time for Sakura to punch Madara across the room.

Through the air. Across the room.

Sasuke hadn't even seen her coming.

"So fast," he mumbled, his jaw dropping open.

Sakura shook out her hand, glaring at Madara who stayed down. "Yeah, well…" She sighed, too tired to make snappy comebacks for once. Her eyes softened a touch and her expression turned professional as they landed on him, immediately giving him a once over.

"You'll live; I'll help you right after we get to Itachi," she said, looking around. When she left, they'd been over…

"Sasuke… Sa...kura." Itachi's voice croaked softly from the far side of the room. As one, they rushed to Itachi's side and pulled away some of the wreckage that had fallen on him.

"You Uchihas sure don't mess around when you mean to tear a place apart," said Sakura, immediately getting to work on Itachi's vitals.

 _Fix him, fix him, fix him_ —was all Sasuke could think, seeing the blood pooling beneath his brother.

A few minutes passed as Sakura worked. Uncaring of her presence, Sasuke reached out and took his brother's hand, his gaze never leaving Itachi's face.

Sakura straightened up on her knees for a moment to stretch her back and neck. She turned to Sasuke, "Pass me that small pouch in the—"

Then shoved him behind her as she leapt in front of him, making him fall overtop of Itachi.

There came two short puffs of sound, and he felt Sakura jolting into him before she slumped forward with a hissed curse. She pressed her hand to her chest and rolled to the side, gasping.

"Heh, didn't think I was dead, did you?" slurred Madara. He swayed on his knees, one hand propping himself up on the overturned table One side of his face was swollen and bruising deeper and deeper black as he held the gun pointed at Sasuke.

"Some avenger you are," he sneered. "You can't even make a decent Batman. No wonder your brother was so ashamed of you."

Sasuke's breathing came faster and faster, his wide eyes staring down the barrel of Madara's gun.

"Never… ashamed… of my brother," murmured Itachi from behind Sasuke. Sasuke didn't dare turn his eyes away from Madara. "Never more… proud… of him… than today."

"We got them out," murmured Sasuke between his barely moving lips. Suddenly it was the most important thing. He had to tell Itachi. Itachi had to know they'd done it. That he hadn't failed anything or anyone. "We got everyone out."

He heard the whoosh of relief released past his brother's lips… and felt him go limp against his back.

"Itachi?" asked Sasuke. He swallowed, clenching his jaw. "'tachi?"

"Always…" A cough, a rattling wheeze. "Proud of you."

Before him, Madara began chuckling. First quietly, then louder and louder, soon laughing so hard he threw his head back and howled with it like a hyena. An increasingly mad hyena.

But Sasuke felt cold. And shaking. Shaking all over.

"Hahahahahahahahahah, even when you win you fail!"

Letting go of the limp hand he held, Sasuke swallowed the cold, deep inside him, and fed it into the pit of despair growing hotter and hotter in his core.

"Your parents begged, at least, hahahahahahaah! They-haha-they begged me to leave you and Itachi, hahahahhaha!"

Higher, the flames jumped higher inside him.

Slowly, quietly, Sasuke rose to his feet.

"I am… vengeance," he began in soft, almost gentle tones.

Madara, still laughing, leaned forward. The gun in his hand was no longer smoking.

"I am… the knight."

He clasped Kusanagi from where he'd propped it up beside him.

Madara's laughing calmed to chuckles, then to a twisted kind of fascination.

"I am…" Sasuke swallowed.  _What was he doing? Could he do this? Yes,_  he felt, he could. Itachi had given everything for him. He could do this.

Madara stumbled to his own feet, his balance damaged, possibly from Sakura's punch to his ear and the side of his head. "You're what? Batman? Batman the Second?" Madara scoffed and gave Sasuke a mad grin. "I stole him from you, too," he whispered, in a strange, loving way. "You're nothing, Sasuke."

Sasuke took a final, small, fortifying breath.

Yes, he was going to take this madman down.

With that he pressed a new panel on Kusanagi, and it popped into two separate pieces; the larger one being a katana with a sleek, silver blade.

Squeezing it tightly, he activated the electrical charge, lightning shooting up the blade with a vicious azur power that reflected in his eyes.

His expression hardened once more.

"I… am… Nightwing."

The battle was short and vicious. At the end of it, Sasuke held Kusanagi to Madara's sweaty, heaving throat. They were burned, bruised and bleeding more profusely than before. They were also shaking from exhaustion and post-adrenaline fatigue. Spread out on his back on the floor, Madara giggled as Sasuke knelt on his chest.

"Can you do it?" taunted Madara, grinning up at him. "You can't, can you?"

Sasuke swallowed between pants as he watched Madara's every movement: Deliberate, slow, careful. Madara lowered the gun he'd been pointing at Sasuke's head.

Then, to Sasuke's surprise, he tossed it away behind Sasuke.

"Go ahead, Sasuke," said Madara in a sing-song voice. "End it. I'm not even armed anymore."

Clenching his teeth, Sasuke lifted the blade an inch, in preparation… and the shaking took over, harder. He couldn't bring it any closer. Sweat poured down his face, and he growled when Madara started giggling again.

"You can't do it, can you?"

Sasuke's breath hissed through his teeth, his heart beating fit to burst from his chest.

"Hahahahahahaha, you really can't do it, can you? You can't kill someone! Hahahahahahahhahaha! Oh, Itachi would be so pleased to know he finally drilled something properly into that thick skull of yours, hahahahahahhah!"

To his shame, Sasuke felt warmth building in the sides of his eyes.

It was true.

He couldn't do it.

"For once," breathed Sakura from behind Sasuke. "You're right, Madara."

Then the gunshot went off.

Madara went still, blood leaking slowly from the wound in his temple. Sakura lowered her arm, breathing deeply, and looked up from Madara to Sasuke.

Her shoulders slumped as she held his shocked, fragile eyes.

"Get off him," she said.

Feeling like he was going to throw up, Sasuke did as she said. He was shaking all over again, and worse. He prayed he hadn't wet himself.

"Good." She gave him a small smirk, and he felt the strangest combination of disgust, elation and hope flutter in his chest.

"Get over here and help me with Itachi," she ordered, wincing as she rolled to her side and pushed herself back up onto her knees. "We have to get him stable before we can move him."

Sasuke swallowed down his sick. "But I thought he was…"

"Not on my watch, he isn't," said Sakura.

* * *

If they'd thought that one night had been bad, they hadn't anticipated the aftershocks.

It would be weeks, and months, before Gotham was whole again. However, between the Senju and Uchiha Tech Enterprises, Gotham's citizens came together, grieved together, and rebuilt together.

Including, rebuilding their families.

… sort of.

Naruto plugged his ears as he and Sakura hurried around Uchiha Manor, searching for Sasuke.

"What is this? Is someone butchering cats?" she yelled over the din.

Naruto shook his head, and they jogged faster, quickly passing through into the gymnasium.

Blessedly, once they closed the door, it fell silent. They breathed a mutual sigh of relief.

"Dude, you gotta talk to your bro. Bagpipes are not a strength," said Naruto, stripping off his t-shirt as he waved to Sasuke in the pool. "And Sakura, you need to tell your dad that the shamisen isn't his thing, either."

"I think they do it to annoy me," sighed Sasuke, coming to the side of the pool and hoisting himself out. He looked around Naruto to Sakura, who looked away. Naruto looked between the two of them, back and forth, before clearing his throat and nudging Sakura.

"Ah. Where should I get changed?" she asked, lifting her knapsack.

"Changerooms are over there," said Sasuke, turning and gesturing to the far wall. "There are cubicles, shower stalls, everything you need. Shampoo, uh, conditioner, hair dryers, towels…" His cheeks coloured as his voice trailed off.

Sakura smirked at him. "Got it. Thanks. Be right back," she said, sauntering past.

Sasuke hadn't realised he was staring until he heard Naruto clear his throat again, and found him staring at him with a shit-eating grin.

Sasuke scowled, which just made Naruto laugh.

* * *

"They're doing fine," said Kisame, lowering his binoculars. In his lawn chair he leaned back and grabbed a handful of chips, stuffing them in his mouth. "Seriously, we need to get lives."

"It's been months. He has to be ready to make a move any minute now," said Kakashi, a hint of impatience in his tone. He adjusted the focus on his own binoculars. "And when he does,  _I'll be there._ " He lifted his carton of milk and sipped through the twirly straw, then leaned forward in his seat. "Then we'll talk vengeance. Like in Chapter 32 of "Icha Icha Velvet Steel Release", when—"

"Sakura just came out wearing a black string bikini," reported Itachi. "Sasuke has taken the bait."

All three men jammed their binoculars back to their faces, leaning forward.

They swallowed.

"Uh, so," coughed Kisame. "That looks awkward and painful, for Sasuke."

"Nice distraction, pushing Naruto into the pool," said Kakashi. His brows pinched. "Did he just reach for Sakura's hair?"  _That overly forward little prick._

Itachi sighed. "Her hair was caught, he was helping her." He sighed again. "She initiated."

They all sighed. Though Kakashi secretly cheered on the inside. No one was good enough for his baby.

"There has to be a better way to get Sasuke in a relationship than this," said Kisame.

Itachi's shoulders slumped a bit, while Kakashi patted him on the back. "He has only spoken about Sakura. For months now." He shook his dark hair. "He has made his choice."

Kisame looked at Kakashi, who pouted. "And Sakura has rescinded her Block-Order on Sasuke. He's allowed in Senju clubs again. She's never been particularly forgiving, so..." He shrugged.

Kisame huffed under his breath. "So, eventually, you're expecting grandkids from them?"

Itachi and Kakashi nodded.

"Very eventually," said Kakashi, his voice low and hard. He glanced at Itachi. "You did give Sasuke The Talk, right?"

Itachi glanced at Kakashi. "I thought you did."

Their gazes met as they lowered their binoculars a moment.

"You two are damn lucky you don't have a mansion-full of little bastards running around," commented Kisame, sipping his beer. "Considering how many women have tried to drape themselves over Sasuke's lap. I suppose we're lucky he has such a shitty attitude. Thanks to both your poor attempts at parenting."

"Who let you in if we're all here?" wondered Kakashi aloud.

"Jiraiya."

The men went still.

Then all slammed their binoculars to their eyeballs, when they heard a screech, and a small explosion from the side of the women's change room.

"She went back in to grab her phone…" said Kakashi.

"And found Jiraiya," sighed Itachi, his shoulders slumping.

The sound of Jiraiya's screaming reached them and shrivelled all their junk to peanuts in sympathy.

Kisame reached over to pat Itachi on the back. "It's a minor setback," he assured his friend. "On the positive side, Sasuke's problem deflated like a balloon."

"No cute nieces or nephews this year, either," lamented Itachi. He reached for his dango sticks, brooding.

"You are so ready to retire," chuckled Kakashi. He was quite cheerful again. Itachi gave a faint nod.

"It looks like she's finished with Jiraiya. We'll have the staff clean that up later, right?" asked Kisame. He turned away with a slight grimace. "Oooh, that was… creative."

"Uh oh," said Kakashi with a chuckle. "She washed up and she's bringing back treats from the kitchenette on the other side of the gym."

"What did she get?" asked Kisame, fumbling the binoculars in his greasy hands.

"... grape popsicles," said Itachi. His tone bordered on cautiously hopeful. Possibly grateful.

"... looks like Sasuke has a problem again," chuckled Kisame. "Ah to be young again."

"And Naruto's already in the pool this time."

They chuckled in sympathy.

* * *

**AN: SasuSaku Month 2015, Prompt/Day 29: "Superheroes". "Naruto" meets my true heart, "Batman". Well… sort of. All content copyright its owners; I did not write this for profit and make no profit from it.**

Apologies for the rushed entry; it kind of took on a life of its own. Much love to uchiha.s for her encouragement, and to my "Forest Fire II" beta, pokesimmo, for the inspiration. All errors are my own. I hope you all got to take in some of the great SasuSaku Month offerings, and please take a quick peek at the poll in my profile ("Who should I pair Sakura up with next?").

**Happy August! I hope you enjoyed!**


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